Summary
Pollen was barely present in the air at this time of year at all the sampling sites, and moulds were seen in low concentrations. Rain, low temperatures with frost and hail at some sites and snow on high lying ground inhibits airborne pollen and mould.
Cape Town
Tree and grass pollen were detected at very low concentrations. A small peak was seen for weed pollen as one high count of bulrush (Typha) pollen was seen. Moulds were very low.
Johannesburg
Please see Johannesburg South.
Johannesburg South
Grasses were low. Trees were low, but a small peak was seen for karee (Searsia) midweek. Other trees detected were ash (Fraxinus). Weeds were seen in low concentrations of the daisy family (Asteraceae), and moulds were low.
Pretoria
Pollen concentrations were low. Trees included pine (Pinaceae), poplar (Populaceae), syringa (Melia) and elm (Ulmaceae) and a small peak was seen for cypress (Cupressaceae) at the end of the sampling period. Low weeds included spurges (Euphorbiaceae), mallows (Malvaceae), buckwheat (Polygonaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae), nightshade (Solanaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were low.
Bloemfontein
Grasses were low. Trees were also low and included birch (Betulus), false olive (Buddleia), bushwillow (Combretaceae), olive (Oleaceae), oak (Quercus) and karee (Searsia). Low weeds detected were goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), lily (Liliaceae) and ferns (Polypodiaceae). Moulds were extremely low.
Kimberley
Grasses were low. Low tree concentrations included cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), karee (Searsia) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weed pollen detected included pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae). Moulds were low. The strip did not arrive at the laboratory in time for analysis, so the previous week’s findings are given.
Durban
Grasses are low at this time of year. Low tree concentrations would include gum (Myrtaceae), the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), forest elder (Nuxia), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae) and mulberry (Moraceae). Weeds would be knotweed (Persiacaria), mallows (Malvaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), nettles (Urticaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Moulds are usually low. 5-year means are shown,
Gqeberha
Pollen of trees, grasses and weeds was consistently low. Trees detected were cedar (Cedrus), cypress (Cupressaceae), persimmon (Ebenaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), blacktips (Bruniaceae), erica (Ericaceae), protea (Proteaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Moulds were low.
George
Grasses were low. Low trees included cedar (Cedrus), persimmon (Ebenaceae) and olive (Oleaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), blacktips (Bruniaceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type), erica (Ericaceae), lily (Liliaceae) and protea (Proteaceae). Moulds were extremely low.
