Which Trees Are the Major Pollen Offenders During Spring?

Homeowners have choices when it comes to planting trees, including choosing species which are better suited for those in the household who are allergy sufferers.

When it comes to springtime, there are trees which are “major pollen offenders,” other trees, not so much, and some which fall in-between, says Lou Meyer, an arborist who has worked for Davey Trees for 11 years and who should know about pollen, being a victim himself.

As the oak pollen season starts branching out, Meyer listed in a telephone interview “the three big offenders in the Middle Atlantic”: oaks, pines and maples. “Oaks have already started spreading their yellow dust over everything.

“Elms are another big offender and sycamores.”

Pines don’t spread as much pollen but they have a negative effect on everything that’s underneath them with their drops of yellow. Your car right now may be dusty from all the tree deposits.

Better trees to plant for reduced pollen are crepe myrtles, flowering crab apples, dogwoods, magnolias and tulip poplars, Meyer said.

Cherry blossom trees fall somewhere in-between.

Climate change affects pollen counts, too, since it’s causing an earlier, extended season with warmer winters. Meyer cited the early cherry blossom peak this year occurring on March 17, the second earliest on record, rather than March 23, the forecast peak date by the National Park Service.

Climate change is also causing increased carbon dioxide gas in the air, which stimulates trees to make more pollen.

After tree pollen ends its spread, then comes the grass.

To read more of Lou's information, click here.