The species is widely traded as an ornamental tree and the disease had soon spread worldwide, probably with nursery stock.

The growth of the fungal thalli interferes with the phloem tissue of the host tree, cutting off the flow of sap and eventually killing the branch above the wound.

A sunken canker with a reddish tinge develops at the original site of infection and resin often oozes out nearby.

[4] The spores can gain entry through the stomata and lenticels under optimal conditions and conidia can get washed down branches by water trickles to lodge as new infective sites.

Vectors include bark beetles in the genus Phloeosinus,[2] and the cypress aphid (Cinara cupressi).