It’s that time of year again- pollen
will start being released from plants and trees. Pollens are
spread by the wind are usually the main cause of seasonal allergies. Pollen can
travel long distances and the levels in the air can vary from day to day.
Levels of pollen tend to be highest from early morning to mid-morning, from 5AM
to 10AM.
Pollen season usually peaks during the
spring but can begin as early as December in Florida. There are several culprits
to the allergies, but trees usually kick off the season. Of
the 50,000 different kinds of trees, less than 100 have been shown to cause
allergies. The leader that produces the most problems
are pine trees. Other trees that add to the pollen count are:
- American Elms
- Bayberry trees
- Bluejack Oaks
- Maples
- River Birch
Besides trees, grasses
and ragweed are also top producers of pollen.
Ragweed Pollen
- Ragweed
and other weeds are some of the most prolific producers of pollen
allergens.
- Pollen
counts are highest between 5 - 10 AM and on dry, hot and windy days.
Grass Pollen
- As
with tree pollen, grass pollen is regional as well as seasonal.
- Grass
pollen levels can be affected by temperature, time of day and rain.
- Keeping
grass cut short helps to keep down on pollen levels.
- Avoid the outdoors between 5-10 AM. Save outside activities for late afternoon or after a heavy rain, when pollen levels are lower.
If you buy trees for your yard, look for species that do not
aggravate allergies such as crape myrtle, dogwood, fig, fir, palm, pear, plum,
redbud and redwood trees or the female cultivars of ash, box elder, cottonwood,
maple, palm, poplar or willow trees.
Check out current levels and forecasts for pollens: click here
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