What types of plants produce the most allergenic pollen?
The type of pollen that most commonly causes allergic reactions comes from plants (trees, grasses, and weeds) that typically do not bear fruit or flowers. These plants produce small, light, dry pollen granules in large quantities that can be carried through the air for miles. Common allergenic culprits include: • Weeds such as ragweed (including the marsh-elder, desert broom, feverfew, dog fennel, chamomile, chrysanthemum and marigold families), sagebrush, redroot pigweed, lamb’s quarters, goosefoot, tumbleweed (Russian thistle) and English plantain. • Grasses such as timothy grass, Kentucky blue grass, Johnson grass, Bermuda grass, redtop grass, orchard grass, sweet vernal grass, perennial rye, salt grass, velvet grass, and fescue. • Hardwood deciduous trees such as oak, ash, elm, birch, maple, alder, hazel, hickory, pecan, box, and mountain cedar. Juniper, cedar, cypress, and sequoia trees also are likely to cause allergies. What does a pollen count mean? A pollen count is a measure
