As hay fever season rapidly approaches, The Australian National University (ANU) is highlighting the various trees and grasses that give Canberrans the sniffles.
Director of the School of Culture, History and Language at ANU, Simon Haberle said Canberra’s mix of native and introduced plant species meant people with allergies had good reason to feel uneasy for much of the year.
“The tree pollen season usually runs from mid-July to October, followed by grass pollen season between October and December,” Professor Haberle said.
“Late winter is dominated mainly by pollen from Cypress and other pines and ash trees, and there are abundant spores produced by fungal growth during wet days,” he said.
“Between August and November in the ACT, ‘dust clouds’ of pollen can be seen blowing from trees or settling in ponds and pools, leaving a distinctive yellow ‘smear’ on the water’s surface.”
Professor Haberle said Cypress pine was the first pine to release pollen around the end of July and was responsible for copious amounts of pollen that could trigger conditions such as winter conjunctivitis, rhinitis and asthma.
He said there was no shortage of variety when it came to pollen culprits – “after the pines have released their pollen, it’s time for the elms, and, soon after, alder, birch and plane trees.”
Next up, Professor Haberle said were the poplars and willows, followed by various grasses that begin flowering in late September, and certain herbs and weeds from late spring to summer.
“One of the reasons that Canberra is such a hot spot for hay fever and asthma is that it’s been beautifully landscaped with newly planted trees, which have allergens,” he said.
Professor Haberle said resources such as the Canberra pollen website and the AirRater app could assist people who suffered from hay fever and asthma by providing daily pollen counts and forecasts.
The Canberra Pollen website can be accessed at this PS News link and the AirRater app at this link.
