These Denver trees cause the worst allergies

Maddie Rhodes
·1 min read

DENVER (KDVR) — Sneezing, itchy eyes and runny noses are just some of the signs of spring allergies, and around this time, allergy season is at its peak.

According to a local arborist, there’s a reason there are so many allergy problems around the nation.

It all starts with female trees producing seeds and male trees producing pollen. But it’s less of a lesson about nature and more about the practice of what arborists call “tree sexism.”

Common allergens in Colorado and what to know for allergy season

According to Jay Judd with Davey Tree, cities choose to plant more male trees than female trees because the seeds from the female trees get on the roads. While there are fewer seeds, there are also fewer females to collect the pollen.

Tree sexism is a dated practice, but it still affects older landscapes.

While pollen and spring allergies are everywhere, some trees in and around the Denver metro area are more pollinated than others.

Most pollinated trees in Denver

Here are some of the trees around Denver that will give you the most trouble with allergies, according to Judd:

  • Willows

  • Cottonwoods

  • Maple

  • Ash

  • Aspen

  • Oak

  • Elm

  • Juniper

  • Cedar

“All of those are going to give you more of an issue with the pollen,” said Judd. “In particular, the ash, the willows and the few oaks that we have around here are said to be a little bit more annoying for more of a sneezy tree.”

According to Judd, Denver has enough species to cause allergies all year round, but around this time in mid-May is when allergies are the worst.

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