Summary:
The public holiday delayed the delivery of couriered pollen strips to the laboratory. Pollen is disappearing from the air, but moulds are increasing.
Cape Town
Tree, weed and grass pollen remains low. Trees included waxberry (Morella), karee (Rhus/Searsia), gum (Myrtaceae) and cypress (Cupressaceae). Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), erica (Ericaceae), the buchu family (Rutaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and English plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Tree, grass and weed pollen concentrations are now low. Trees detected were false olive (Buddleia) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg South
Grasses were moderate. The only tree pollen detected was the gum (Myrtaceae). Weed pollen was moderate and included the daisy family (Asteraceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Moulds were low.
Pretoria
At this site at this time of the year grasses are moderate. Low tree concentrations would be likely to include bushwillow (Combretaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), mulberry (Moraceae) and waxberry (Morella). Weeds would be ragweed (Ambrosia), the daisy family Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds are generally low but increasing. 5-year means are shown.
Bloemfontein
This site usually has high grass concentrations at this time of the year. Trees are low but varied and might include the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), ash (Fraxinus), waxberry (Morella), cypress (Cupressaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds are generally mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), erica (Ericaceae), mallows (Malvaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds are low but increasing. 5-year means are shown.
Kimberley
Pollen strip has not yet been received so last week’s findings are shown. Grasses were moderate. Low tree concentrations included bushwillow (Combretaceae) and pine (Pinaceae). Weeds were goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and spurges (Euphorbiaceae). Moulds were generally low but significant spikes for the allergenic mould Alternaria are noted.
Durban
Grasses were low. Tree concentrations included gum (Myrtaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia) and ebony (Ebenaceae). Weeds were ragweed (Ambrosia), mugwort (Artemisia) and ferns (Polypodiaceae) Moulds were moderate with large spikes for ascospores after rain.
Gqeberha
Tree, grass and weed pollen was low at this site. Trees detected were gum (Myrtaceae), waxberry (Morella) and karee (Rhus/Searsia). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), katstert (Anthospermum), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type. Moulds were low, but with moderate spikes for basidiospores (mushrooms).
George
Findings from the same time of year in 2024 are shown as the pollen strip did not reach the laboratory in time. Grasses were high. Tree and weed pollen loads were insignificant. Trees included mesquite (Prosopis), gum (Myrtaceae), forest elder (Nuxia), pine (Pinaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Moulds were insignificant.
Reference Range
Grass: Low: 0-5 Moderate: 6-20 High: 21-200
Trees: Low: 0-15 Moderate: 16-90 High: 91-1500
Weeds: Low: 0-10 Moderate: 10-50 High: 51-500
Moulds: Low: 0-900 Moderate: 900-2500 High 2500-25000
Unit: per cubic metre
