Naohidemyces vaccinia is wind-borne, and initially forms yellow-orange urediniospores in pustulates on the underside of Vaccinium leaves in midsummer, which reinfect Vaccinium leaves, building up inoculum for reinfection. This is followed by flat telia crusts in late summer for overwintering, although rarely on lingonberries. Teliospores germinate from telia in spring, from which basidia form, releasing basidiospores to Tsuga species. Once alighting on Tsuga needles in the spring, pyncia are formed. Finally in early summer, yellow-orange aeciospores form in shallow conical aecia on the underside of the needles in two rows following the length of the needle.
