Tree pollen levels are high in Pretoria: Here’s how other cities compare
· The South African
Tree pollen levels remain high in Pretoria, while Kimberley has recorded moderate grass pollen concentrations.
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Cape Town and Potchefstroom have also reported moderate tree pollen levels, although some tree species continue to produce higher counts.
Cape Town
Tree pollen levels ranged from moderate to high, with pine producing the highest concentrations.
Other trees contributing to pollen levels included sumac, hackberry, Cape holly, gum, mulberry, waxberry, olive and oak.
Rain and cooler temperatures kept grass pollen levels low on average, but concentrations increased to moderate levels on sunny days.
Weed pollen remained low, with mugwort, daisies, goosefoot, sorrel and nettles among the species recorded.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg recorded low tree, grass and weed pollen levels.
Trees contributing to pollen counts included acacia, birch, false olive, pecan, ebony, bushwillow, gum, pine, yellowwood, willow, mulberry, elm and oak.
Weed pollen came from pigmyweeds, sedges, mallows, bulrush and nettles.
Pretoria
Pretoria continued to experience high tree pollen levels, while grass pollen remained low.
A wide variety of trees could contribute to the high counts, including bushwillow, waxberry, mulberry, gum, olive, mesquite, false olive, karee, plane, pine, acacia, sumac, ash, cypress, ebony and willow.
Potential weed pollen sources included daisies, sedges, spurges, mallows, plantain, aloes, knotweed, sorrel, dandelion and bulrush.
The figures reflect five-year averages rather than current measurements.
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein recorded low grass and tree pollen levels, although several tree species contributed to the counts.
These included acacia, birch, false olive, hackberry, bushwillow, cypress, waxberry, gum, olive, pine, plane, poplar and oak.
Plantain was the dominant weed pollen source. Other weeds included daisies, goosefoot, pigmyweeds, sedges and lilies.
Kimberley
Grass pollen reached moderate levels in Kimberley, while tree pollen remained low.
Trees contributing to pollen counts included birch, bushwillow, olive, cypress, plane, poplar and karee.
Weed pollen came from daisies, goosefoot, sedges and plantain.
Durban
Durban’s pollen levels remained low across all categories, based on five-year averages.
Trees that could contribute to pollen counts included acacia, ash, birch, Australian pine, cypress, gum, yellowwood, pine, pecan, mulberry, karee, plane, walnut, sumac, Cape holly, beech, elm and sweetgum.
Potential weed pollen sources included daisies, goosefoot, plantain, sorrel, rushes, proteas, pigmyweeds and nettles.
Gqeberha
Gqeberha recorded low pollen concentrations across all categories.
Trees contributing to pollen counts included cedar, gum and pine.
Weed pollen came from pigweed, daisies, sedges, erica, reeds and mezereum.
George
George’s historical pollen data indicated generally low pollen concentrations, although several tree species could contribute to the counts.
These included yellowwood, pecan, bushwillow, cypress, plane, poplar, linden, oak, maple, mulberry and sweetgum.
Potential weed pollen sources included plantain, sedges, nettles, mugwort and spurges.
Unlike most other cities in the report, George showed moderate mould levels.
These figures reflect averages from previous years rather than current measurements.
Potchefstroom
Tree pollen levels declined in Potchefstroom, although some species continued to produce high counts.
Pine remained the dominant tree pollen source, while maple, birch, hackberry, pecan, bushwillow, sand olive, gum, olive, yellowwood, oak and karee also contributed.
Plantain dominated weed pollen counts, with pigweed, daisies, sedges and nettles also present.