Why Tree Pollen Hits NYC So Hard

Source: Squarespace/ Unsplash

The Cause

Every spring, New Yorkers brace themselves for a yellow-green haze of misery. Pollen coats cars, sidewalks, and windowsills, triggering endless sneezing fits, watery eyes, and pharmacy runs for allergy relief. But what makes the pollen season in New York City so brutal? The answer lies not just in the trees themselves, but in a decades-old urban planning decision that created a botanical boys’ club in the city’s landscape.

The issue starts with the overwhelming dominance of male trees. In the mid-20th century, as New York focused on urban beautification, city planners prioritized low-maintenance greenery. Fruit-bearing trees were largely ruled out because their fruits were seen as messy hazards that littered sidewalks, attracted pests, and annoyed pedestrians. Instead, male trees were planted almost exclusively because they don’t produce fruit or seeds.

Poor Urban Planning

This might have seemed like a tidy solution at the time, but it created a significant problem: male trees produce vast amounts of pollen. Unlike female trees, which absorb pollen and trap it with their flowers, male trees just release it into the air in massive clouds, hoping the wind will carry it to a receptive female tree. With no female trees to balance things out, the pollen lingers and blankets the city, making spring in NYC a nightmare for allergy sufferers.

The types of trees commonly planted in New York also play a role. Species like maples, oaks, and London planes (a common street tree) are notorious for producing large amounts of allergenic pollen. These species were favored for their durability and ability to thrive in an urban environment, but their reproductive habits exacerbate the pollen problem.

Adding to the issue is New York’s dense, vertical landscape. Skyscrapers and narrow streets can trap pollen in the air, creating a swirling vortex of allergens that’s difficult to escape. Combine that with warming temperatures and prolonged growing seasons due to climate change, and it’s no wonder allergy seasons are getting worse.

What’s Next?

Interestingly, some experts and urban planners have called for a shift in how cities like New York plant trees. Diversifying the urban canopy to include female trees and non-allergenic species could help mitigate the pollen problem. While female trees may require a bit more cleanup, they could act as natural pollen filters, improving air quality and reducing the allergen load.

In the meantime, New Yorkers will have to keep enduring the annual pollen storm. It’s a reminder that even well-intentioned decisions can have unintended consequences. Until changes are made, springtime in the city will continue to be a sneezing, eye-watering challenge — all thanks to a botanical gender imbalance hiding in plain sight.