Leaves become puffy and the tissue is thickened, puckered and brittle. The puckering distorts the shape of the leaf, causing it to curl. Often the puckered areas are different colors than the green leaf tissues. This fungus invisibly remains on the bare branches after leaves have fallen and multiplies there in early spring.
Rains splash the fungus onto emerging leaves.
The disease is most severe when leaf emergence and elongation occur during rainy weather. The disease is most common on non-bearing, flowering cultivars of peach, cherry and plum. Apply a single dormant spray before bud break to the bare branches and trunk. More extensive fungicide spray programs can be used to control leaf curl, but the homeowner might best consider replacing the plant if the disease renders the plant unsightly despite a dormant spray. This information is for educational purposes only.