High tree pollen concentrations were seen at several sites and the dominant tree was plane, followed by cypress, beech and mulberry.
Cape Town
Grasses were generally low but on the last sampling day, which was sunny, grass concentrations exceeded 10 grains/cubic meter. This is the threshold for grasses awaited every spring and is earlier than usual this year. Tree pollen increased at the end of this sampling period and high counts were recorded. Dominant species were cypress, plane and pine. Weeds are increasing too and erica, sedge and sorrel are appearing more frequently.
Calvinia
This site is not operating.
Johannesburg
Grasses were low. Trees were high and included palm (Arecaceae), hackberry (Celtis spp.), cypress (Cupressaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), beech (Fagus spp), ash (Fraxinus spp.), mulberry (Moraceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae). oak (Quercus spp.), willow (Salicaceae) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds identified were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), red milkwood (Mimusop), walnut (Juglandaceae) and lily (Liliaceae). Moulds were low.
Pretoria
Trees increased sharply and the dominant trees were plane (Platanaceae). Mulberry (Moraceae), cypress (Cupressaceae) and birch (Betulus). Other flowering trees included acacia (Acacia spp.), ash (Fraxinus spp.), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), poplar (Populaceae) and oak (Quercus spp.). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) and goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae). Moulds were low.
Bloemfontein:
Tree pollen is surging and includes cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus spp.), mulberry (Moraceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), poplar (Populaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and sedge (Cyperaceae). Moulds were low,
Kimberley
Low pollen and mould concentrations were recovered during this sampling week, but on one warmer day pollen concentrations increased to moderate levels. Trees identified were ash (Fraxinus spp.), cypress (Cupressaceae), pine (Pinaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae) and mulberry (Moraceae). Weeds were goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and the daisy family (Asteraceae). Moulds were very low.
Durban
A significant spike was seen for Cladosporium, the allergenic mould/fungus. Pollen concentrations were low, but trees included cypress (Cupressaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), pine (Pinaceae), pecan (Carya spp.), mulberry (Moraceae) hackberry (Celtis spp.) and ash (Fraxinus spp.). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae) and mugwort (Artemisia spp.). Moulds were generally low.
Gqeberh
This site is not sampling at present but will hopefully resume soon.
Potchefstroom
Grasses were low. Trees were high and included birch (Betulaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), oak (Quercus spp.), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae) and ash (Fraxinus spp.). No weeds were detected and moulds were low.
