We provide here pollen forecasts and recommendations, that are based on our scientifically evaluated data and our expertise. It is our aim to inform persons concerned by pollen allergies in Vienna in a most comprehensive, accurate way and free of charge.
Video Highlight: Bristle grass, an urban grass species that flowers in summer
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The flowering time of bristle grass (Setaria sp.) is in summer from July to September. Bristle grass belongs to the sweet grass family (Poaceae) and to the subfamily Panicoideae together with e.g. maize, cane or different millet species.
Current pollination
LEGEND
Due to current cause:
The pollen season arrived at the start of the weed pollination period.
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: first flowering plants of mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) could be spotted earlier. There is a non flowering plant of mugwort behind the flowering individual.
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.
The weed pollen season starts with the flower of mugwort!
First ragweed pollen due to longe range transport from the Southeast of Europe!
General situation: At present, fungal spores are the main airborne allergen. Mugwort will cause increasing pollination and thus become the second main aeroallergen followed by ragweed (Ambrosia).
Some mugwort plants have started to flower early in July, but no considerable pollen concentrations have been detected yet. The main flowering period of mugwort will start now as the majority of plants will soon begin to flower. Increasing pollination has to be expected soon and the weed pollen season thus starts.
Note: Mugwort and ragweed are cross-reactive. This means that persons concerned may react to both pollen types.
Ragweed (Ambrosia) is a main aeroallergen, that gains more importance in the course of August. The ragweed plants within and in vicinity to Vienna are somewhat later in their development as last year. Their inflorescences are still small and immature. However there are locations in Europe where first ragweed pollen has already been measured. The ragweed pollen season hast started in the Southeast of Europe. First ragweed pollen is 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, bristle grass (see video), crabgrass and Bermuda grass.
In the meadows, dock and plantain are also flowering. Both can trigger cross-reactions in individuals allergic to grass pollen.
Nettle plants such as stinging nettle and pellitory are in their main flowering period.
Pollination profile
Mugwort:
state of the flower: begin of the main pollination period/hardly any pollination
trend: increasing
time of the start of the flower: average
Fungal spores:
state of the season: main period/high spore concentrations
trend: increasing
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 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
- 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.