The disease is caused by Podosphaeria oxyacanthae , one of the common species of the powdery mildew group of fungi. The same fungus reportedly causes powdery mildew in peach, apricot, apple, pear, quince, and persimmon trees, and a few ornamental plants. This discussion will be limited to the disease as it affects plums and tart and sweet cherries. The fungus attacks leaves and twigs, producing symptoms much like powdery mildew on apples.
Infected leaves curl upward.
Newly developed leaves on new shoot growth become progressively smaller, are generally pale, and are somewhat distorted. New shoots are shorter in length than normal. By midseason the whitish fungus can be seen growing over the leaves and shoots, sometimes in patches and other times covering most of the new growth. Such symptoms are especially common in nursery trees. The fungus may overwinter on diseased, fallen leaves, but usually it does so in infected buds, as in apple powdery mildew.