Weekly Report

13 November 2026

City
Overall Risk
Tree Pollen
Grass Pollen
Weed Pollen
Mould Spores

Summary

Grasses were moderate in Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Kimberley and trees were high in Bloemfontein and Kimberley. Mould was high in Durban.

Cape Town

Grasses were moderate. Trees were low and included sumac (Anacardiaceae), hackberry (Celtis), cypress (Cupressaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), plane (Platanaceae), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), and oak (Quercus). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erica (Ericaceae0, spurges (Euphorbiaceae), protea (Proteaceae) and bulrushes (Typhaceae). Moulds were low, but small spikes were seen for the allergenic mould Alternaria.

Johannesburg

Tree, grass and weed pollen concentrations were low at this sampling site. Trees were birch (Betula), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), spruce (Picea), false olive (Buddleja), mulberry (Moraceae), oak (Quercus), karee (Searsia), willow (Salicaceae) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds were pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), bulrushes (Typhaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae) and moulds were low.

Pretoria

Grasses are usually moderate to high at this time of the year. Trees might include acacia (Acacia-type), cedar (Cedrus), waxberry (Morella), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), oak (Quercus), ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), bushwillow (Combretaceae), karee (Searsia), pine (Pinaceae), hackberry (Celtis), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), walnut (Juglandaceae) and buckthorn (Rhamnaceae). Weeds would be Goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), the carrot family (Chenopodiaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low. 5-year means are shown.

Bloemfontein

Grasses were moderate. Tree concentrations were high and included acacia (Acacia-type), birch (Betula), false olive (Buddleja), birch (Betula), hackberry (Celtis), bushwillow (Combretaceae), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), the dominant tree olive (Oleaceae), oak (Quercus) pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), poplar (Populaceae) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae) and moulds were low.

Kimberley

Grass was moderate. Trees were high and included bushwillow (Combretaceae), poplar (Populaceae) the dominant tree; plane (Platanaceae), high concentrations of olive (Oleaceae), karee (Searsia) and elm (Ulmaceae). Low weed counts included the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae). Moulds were low.

Durban

Moulds are high at this time of year with peaks for the allergenic mould Cladosporium. Trees are low and include pecan (Carya), birch (Betula), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Morella), poplar (Populaceae), hackberry (Celtis), cypress (Cupressaceae), acacia (Acacia-type), bushwillow (Combretaceae), mesquite (Prosopis), persimmon (Ebenaceae), karee (Searsia) and olive (Oleaceae). Weeds would be the daisy family (Asteraceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type), and plantain (Plantaginaceae). 5-year means are shown.

Gqeberha

Pollen in all categories was low. Trees included Australian pine (Casuarina), cedar (Cedrus), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedge (Cyperaceae), erica (Eicaceae), protea (Proteaceae), red (Restionaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae), bulrush (Typhaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were low. Means of previous years are shown as no findings for this site were received.

George

The courier did not deliver the pollen strip in time for analysis so 2025 findings are shown. Pollen was low in all three categories. Low grass concentrations were seen and no tree or weed pollen was detected. Moulds were low.

Potchefstroom

Tree, grass and weed pollen concentrations were low. Trees included birch (Betula), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.

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

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