Pollenservice Wien

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The plants are somewhat later in their development locally in the East of Austria, but now the flowers became visible (Video ©Katharina Bastl (MedUni Wien/Pollenservice Wien)): you can surmise the yellow dust (=pollen) in the flowering buds. Thus, local pollination starts.

The flowering time of ragweed (Ambrosia sp.) is from August to September. The ragweed pollen season has started already, because relevant long distance transport of pollen was measured in the end of July.

The weed pollen season got started. Mugwort is in full flower (season peak) and the ragweed pollen season starts.

We provide this convenient overview graph to visualize pollination during the calendar year besides our pollen calendars.
You find more about this seasonal overview here.

Copyright: MedUni Vienna, www.pollenservice.wien

Figure: right in the weed pollen season: flowering mugwort with open flowers (left) and ragweed not yet flowering in a field (right).

Mid- and long-term forecast for Vienna

This forecast gives you an overview for a longer time period so that you can improve your planning.

Full flower of mugwort: right within the time of summer maxima of mugwort pollination!

General situation: At present, mugwort, ragweed (Ambrosia) and fungal spores are the main airborne allergens.

Mugwort is in full flower and causes high pollination until including the weekend. The peak of the summer pollination from mugwort will occur this week. Mugwort grows on fallow lands, weed fields and along the banks of the Danube.

Note: Mugwort and ragweed are cross-reactive. This means that persons concerned may react to both pollen types.

The ragweed plants (Ambrosia) within and in vicinity to Vienna are somewhat later in their development as last year. A part of the local plants started to flower now. Increased pollination is expected for days with long distance transport, from a current point of view from Friday until Sunday (please consult our pollen forecast „current pollination“ above).
Why? The ragweed pollen season has started in the Southeast of Europe since some time ago. Additional ragweed pollen has to be expected during episodes with wind from the Southeast.

Goldenrod started to flower. It belongs to the composite family and can cause cross-reactions (with mugwort or ragweed pollen allergies). In general, golden rod is a rare allergy trigger, because it is insect-pollinated.

Fungal spores are in their main season which lasts the whole summer. In particular, Cladosporium and Alternaria spores are in the air. Fungal spore concentrations reach high values, but they are below average for the time of the year compared to the last years. The dry conditions are the cause for this situation.
Good to know: Fungal spore concentrations increase rapidly after precipitation.

Some grasses are in their rebloom time and only low grass pollen concentrations are measured. Grass species that currently flower are different ornamental grasses, crabgrass and Bermuda grass.
Pollen from dock and plantain is in traces in the air.

Nettle plants such as stinging nettle and pellitory are in their main flowering period.

Pollination profile
Mugwort:
state of the flower: main pollination period/high pollination
trend: constant
time of the start of the flower: average

Ragweed: 
state of the flower: start of the main pollination period/pollination
trend: increasing
time of the start of the flower: later than average

Fungal spores:
state of the season: main period/high spore concentrations
trend: constant
time of the start of the season: average

Grasses:
state of the flower: main pollination period/hardly any pollination
trend: constant
time of the start of the flower: average

You can find the typical pollen seasons in our pollen calendar. 

Pollen spectrum:
Pollen from hop, Japanese pagoda tree, the hemp family, the goosefoot family, cypress and yew is also in the air.

Current main allergen: Fungal spores

Exposure time in Vienna: May to October

Occurrence in Vienna: The molds in focus here thrive on vegetation. This ranges from potting soil to grain fields. Note: The concentration of fungal spores outdoor has nothing to do with the occurrence of molds indoors.

Who are “the fungal spores“?
The spores of the molds Alternaria and Cladosporium are of allergological importance, especially the former. The here discussed fungal spores are the most important ones for ambient air. There is a high diversity of molds, that are present indoors and can spread on food. Molds may cause allergies, but also toxic reactions escalating to mycosis (invasion of the inner organs).
Alternaria belongs to the blackness-fungi. It grows primarily on vegetation and causes plant diseases that can result in crop failures (fruit, cereals). Persons concerned should not mow the lawn, since it is often located on dry plants. However, Alternaria is also found in the living area.
Cladosporium belongs as well to the blackness-fungi. It prefers forests, gardens, and swamps. It is the most common fungal spore in ambient air.

Cross-reactivity: In general, there is cross-reactivity to spores of other molds (e.g. Aspergillus, Epicoccum).

Current main allergen: Mugwort

Pollination time in Vienna: July to September (some times October)

Occurrence in Vienna: Mugwort has no high habitat requirements and grows in ruderal areas as well as on poor soils or gravel grounds, roadsides, constructions sites and railway embarkments.

Who is “the mugwort“?
There are a couple of species of mugwort (among others e.g. wormwood and tarragon), but mainly one species is responsible for pollination in Vienna.
Common mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris): Mugwort was used as medicinal herb and culinary herb in former times. It can grow into up to two meters high shrub and grows also in mid-altitude areas up to 1600m above sea level.
For some time now, neophyte species of mugwort from East Asia have been increasingly establishing themselves in Central Europe, which can cause a second pollination period at the end of September/beginning of October. This is primarily due to annual mugwort (Artemisia annua) and Kamchatka mugwort (Artemisia verlotiorum). Both species are considered neophytes in Austria and benefit from climate change.

Cross-reactivity to pollen of other plants: to other genera within the same family of composite plants (Asteraceae), among others ragweed

Current main allergen: Ragweed

Pollination time in Vienna: August to October

Occurrence in Vienna: Ragweed prefers disturbed land and occurs mainly on construction sites, along railway embarkments, motorways, roadsides, on farmland and fields (maize, sunflower) on the outskirts of Vienna.

Who is “the ragweed“?
Ragweed, common hogweed, annual ragweed, low ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia): This is the most common ragweed species in Vienna. It was introduced as a neophyte and is meanwhile well established especially in the East and South of Austria. This species is annual and may grow up to 1,8m. It can occur also around bird houses and gardens due to contaminated bird food.
Perennial ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya): This species produces less seed because it spreads mainly through their roots.
Giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida): It possesses three-feathered leaves in contrast to other species of ragweed (feathered leaves) and may grow until 4m height.

Cross-reactivity to pollen of other plants: to other genera within the same family of composite plants (Asteraceae), among others mugwort

• The Pollenservice Vienna is part of the University Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Medical University of Vienna.
• The collaboration with GeoSphere Austria involves comparing forecasts and exchanging pollen and weather data. 
• The Pollenservice Vienna is official partner of the Gesundheitsdienst (MA15) of the City of Vienna.