If you only have a few plants, control the disease by hand picking and destroying diseased leaves. Leaf gall seldom causes enough damage to justify spraying. It also can be reduced by spraying with ferban at the rate of 2 tsp. per gallon. Make first application just before and again near the end of the flowering period and repeat 6 weeks later. Leaf gall also occurs on camellia, but is caused by a different fungus.
Leaves turn yellow and plants are stunted and gradually die.
They fail to respond to fertilizer and water. Provide good growing conditions, i.e. mulch, partial shade, fertilize plants according to a soil test report, and water during dry periods. If plants die from nematode damage, purchase nematode-free plants and set in another area free of stunt nematode. The occurrence and severity of the disease is highly dependent on wet weather conditions during the flowering period. The symptoms are tiny, pale or whitish to rust-colored spots on petals.