Peach Leaf Curl Management Guidelines--UC IPM

UC IPM Home > Homes, Gardens, Landscapes, and Turf > Peach Leaf Curl Pests in Gardens and Landscapes Peach Leaf Curl Revised5/12 In this Guideline: Identification and damage Life cycle Management About Pest Notes Publication Glossary Peach leaf curl symptoms typical of a serious infection. Peach leaf curl symptoms can cause leaves to curl and distort. Though uncommon, symptoms on fruit can occur, making the surface corky and cracked. Peach leaf curl, also known as leaf curl, is a disease caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans. Peach leaf curl affects the blossoms, fruit, leaves, and shoots of peaches, ornamental flowering peaches, and nectarines, and is one of the most common disease problems for backyard gardeners growing these trees. The distorted, reddened foliage that it causes is easily seen in spring. When severe, the disease can reduce fruit production substantially. IDENTIFICATION AND DAMAGE Peach leaf curl first appears in spring as reddish areas on developing leaves. These a...