Summary
Grasses were moderate in Cape Town and Pretoria and high tree counts persist in Cape Town, Durban and Potchefstroom. Pine is now the dominant tree.
Cape Town
Grass was moderate. High tree concentrations included hackberry (Celtis), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), ebony (Ebenaceae), walnut (Juglandaceae), privet (Ligustrum), syringa (Melia), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Morella), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia), sedges (Cyperaceae) and erica (Ericaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Tree, grass and weed pollen was low at this sampling site. Trees included birch Betula), bushwillow (Combretaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae) and oak (Quercus). oak (Quercus). Weeds were pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.
Pretoria
Tree, grass and weed pollen was found in low concentrations at this site. Trees included acacia (Acacia-type), palm (Arecaceae), birch (Betula), bushwillow (Combretaceae), hackberry (Celtis), cypress (Cupressaceae), guarri (Euclea), ebony (Ebenaceae), poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were ragweed (Ambrosia), borage (Boraginaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae) mint (Lamiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), lily (Liliaceae)and the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae). Moulds were low.
Bloemfontein
Pollen concentrations were low at this sampling site. Trees were acacia Acacia-type), birch (Betula), false olive (Buddleia), hackberry (Celtis), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus), gum (Myrtaceae), waxberry (Morella), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), oak (Quercus) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and buckwheat (Polygonaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were seen and moulds were low.
Kimberley
All pollen concentrations were low at this sampling site. Trees were bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), poplar (Populaceae) elm (Ulmaceae) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) gentian (Gentaniaceae) and karee (Searsia). Moulds were low.
Durban
Tree pollen was high while weeds and grasses were low. Trees included acacia (Acacia-type), monkey puzzle (Araucariaceae), palm (Arecaceae), birch (Betula), pecan (Carya), Australian pine (Casuarina), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), ebony (Ebenaceae), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), jacaranda (Bignoniaceae), willow (Salicaceae), plane (Platanaceae), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and oak (Quercus), Weeds were ice plants (Aizoaceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), borage (Boraginaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were seen and moulds were low.
Gqeberha
Pollen counts were all low at this site. Trees included Australian pine (Casuarina), olive (Oleaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and pine (Pinaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Crassulaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), erica (Ericaceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type) and mezereum (Thymelaeaceae) and moulds were low.
George
Findings for 2025 are shown. The George spore trap is operating but courier difficulties are being addressed re transporting the pollen strip to the laboratory. Extremely low pollen concentrations were seen at this site. No tree or grass pollen was detected. Weeds were sedges (Cyperaceae) and moulds were low.
Potchefstroom
Tree pollen was high at this site and included acacia Acacia-type), maple (Acer), birch (Betula), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), sand olive (Dodonaea), ash (Fraxinus), syringa (Melia), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), the dominant tree, pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae) and 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