If your allergies are out of control right now, you’re not alone. Throughout the year, we deal with multiple sources of pollen. However, during early spring, much of that pollen comes from trees.
(Soon, grasses become a source; then, summer will bring the weed-related pollen.)
Unfortunately, trees need to spread pollen. Since they rely on the wind, as opposed to bees and other bugs, they create quite a lot of it. With that in mind, you can see why windy days may exacerbate allergy problems.
When springtime arrives, so do the oak catkins. You know that awful yellow-green coating of pollen on your car? Yeah, oak trees are the most likely culprit there.
These darn shrubs are just about everywhere and they’re highly allergenic. However, you can discourage flowering and reduce the severity of their allergenicity by keeping them well trimmed.
You recognize them for their flaking bark, but you should know they also produce quite a lot of pollen. Different species of birch are native to different regions of the U.S., however, most are moderately allergenic.
They might seem lovely in the winter, but cedar spawns evil pollen cones in the spring. The Eastern Red Cedar is a producer of severe allergens, as is the Ashe juniper – sometimes referred to as mountain cedar.
The latter is mostly found in and around Texas, and the resulting allergies have earned the nickname “cedar fever.” Yeah, it can be that bad.
If you live anywhere near a pecan orchard, we feel your pain. Their pollen can be nearly as bad as ragweed.
You might think spring’s fragrant flowers are to blame, but most of them are actually quite harmless. However, the keyword there is most. While most spring allergies come from tree pollen, there is one family of flowers that may also trigger your allergies.
The Asteraceae family includes plants like asters, daisies, dahlias, chrysanthemums, chamomile, and sunflowers. Know what else is a member of this family? Ragweed. So, if you tend to suffer from ragweed allergies, you might want to consider this before planting your spring garden.
