Southwestern United States
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in the Southwest
Plants Known to Produce Allergenic Pollen in Southern
Arizona
Key to recognition of allergenic
plants
(for pictures, click the links)
Trees and shrubs
Grasses and weeds
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| Common Name | Latin Name | Flowering months (Tucson) | Comments |
| Ash, Arizona | Fraxinus velutina | March-May | Ornamental in Tucson |
| Cottonwood | Populus Fremontii | Jan-March | Grows near washes and streams |
| Cypress, Arizona | Cupressus arizonica | Oct-April | Allergens similar to those in introduced
species e.g. Italian Cypress (C. sempervirens) |
| Desert Broom | Baccharis sarothroides | Sept-Feb | Grows in disturbed soil. Seeds with cotton-like plumes fly in the wind |
| Elm, Chinese | Ulmus parvifolia | Feb-April | Uncommon in Tucson |
| Hackberry | Celtis pallida | Spring, fall | Widespread |
| Juniper | Juniperus Deppeana, monosperma | Oct-April | Distinctive berries. Common at higher elevations. Ornamental species of Juniper commonly planted are also allergenic |
| Mesquite | Prosopis juliflora | March- August | Common tree in and near washes. Has long beans, rough bark |
| Mulberry | Morus alba, rubra | Feb-March | Male “fruitless” tree is allergenic |
| Oak | Quercus | March-June | Many species - Quercus Emoryi Quercus Gambelii Quercus turbinella Quercus virginiana |
| Olive tree | Olea europaea | March-May | Low pollen varieties available |
| Palm trees: Canary Island Date Palm |
Phoenix canariensis |
- Minor importance as allergens Feather palm with massive trunk |
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| Desert Fan Palm | Washingtonia filifera | Trunk partly or entirely covered with dependent dead fronds | |
| Mexican Fan Palm | Washingtonia robusta | Very tall, graceful fan palm with smooth trunk | |
| Palo Verde | Cercidium | April-June | Has smooth green trunk, tiny leaves, covered with yellow flowers in spring |
| Pecan | Carya pecan | Feb-April | Orchards near Green Valley, AZ |
| Pepper Tree | Schinus molle | June-August | Commonly planted ornamental tree |
| Privet | Ligustrum lucidum | April-June | Tree or hedge |
| Sumac, African | Rhus lancea | Jan-Feb | Narrow leaves, clusters of small berries. |
| Sycamore, Arizona | Platanus Wrightii | March-June | Used in parks, streets. Very similar to P. racemosa, California sycamore |
| Tamarix, Salt Cedar | Tamarix aphylla | March-Sept | Gray-green needle-like leaves Common |
| Walnut, Arizona Black | Juglans major | March-June | Park and street ornamental tree, found with Cottonwood near streams |
Disclaimer: This site is for educational purposes only. Any information that you have found in this web site is not intended to replace medical care or advice given to you by your own physicians. You should consider consulting your local medical library and other web sites for additional information.
Comments and suggestions welcome! Email: schumach@u.arizona.edu
Content Owner: Michael J. Schumacher, MB, FRACP, The
University of Arizona
Updated 8/2008