IA pollen report
Des Moines Pollen Report
Des Moines sits where the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers meet in the heart of Iowa farm country — and its allergy seasons are full-strength Midwest. Oak and maple drive the spring, grasses run through humid summers, and fall ragweed counts in Iowa's field-and-river landscape are among the heaviest in the country.
Collection coming soon to Des Moines
PollyMap is actively recruiting a verified local partner in Des Moines. Be the first to know — or apply to be the partner.
While we find a local clinic
Test the air at your own home in Des Moines
No allergy clinic is reporting from Des Moines yet. Until one does, you can order your own PollyKit — a simple air sampler you hang outdoors or indoors. Send it back and the PollyKit Lab shows you exactly what's floating in your air.
- Pollen from local trees, grasses and weeds
- Airborne mold spores
- Dust mites and other indoor allergens
Hang it outdoors
See which pollen and mold are in your yard this season.
Or hang it indoors
Check bedrooms and living spaces for mold, dust mites and more.
What drives allergies in Des Moines
Trees: oak, maple, and ash (March – May)
Oaks (Quercus) dominate the metro's canopy, with maple, ash, and cottonwood along the river corridors. April is the typical peak.
Grasses: June – July
Lawn and pasture grasses pollinate heavily in early summer across the metro and surrounding farmland.
Weeds: ragweed (August – frost)
Iowa is core ragweed country. Common and giant ragweed (Ambrosia) line every field edge, and fall counts are reliably heavy until the first hard frost.
Mold: harvest-season spikes
Humid summers keep Alternaria and Cladosporium active, and fall harvest across the surrounding farmland stirs up mold and dust.
Pollen patterns in Des Moines
In Des Moines, tree pollen — including Maple, Oak, Birch — typically dominates from late winter through spring. Bluegrass grass is the most common warm-season pollinator, and Ragweed drives the largest fall pollen load.
Top trees
- Maple
- Oak
- Birch
- Ash
- Walnut
Top grasses
- Bluegrass
- Timothy
- Orchard
- Rye
Top weeds
- Ragweed
- Lamb's quarters
- Pigweed
- Plantain
Top molds
- Alternaria
- Cladosporium
- Aspergillus
- Penicillium
Des Moines pollen calendar
Typical monthly intensity across the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tree | ||||||||||||
| grass | ||||||||||||
| weed | ||||||||||||
| mold |
Historical reports
Cities near Des Moines
Explore pollen activity in nearby cities reported by the PollyMap network.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pollen count in Des Moines today?
PollyMap publishes real, microscope-verified pollen counts for Des Moines — measured from physical air samples. The latest report on this page shows current tree, grass, weed, and mold levels.
Is the pollen count high in Des Moines right now?
Des Moines' worst stretches are April (oak), June (grasses), and September (ragweed). The measured reports on this page show today's actual levels.
When is allergy season in Des Moines?
March through the first hard frost: trees in spring, grasses in summer, heavy ragweed in fall, and mold through the humid months and harvest.
Why is fall so rough for allergies in Iowa?
Ragweed loves Iowa's disturbed farmland soils, and September counts are among the heaviest in the Midwest — with harvest dust and mold arriving at the same time.
Are you an allergy clinic in Des Moines? Claim your territory on PollyMap.
PollyMap is a local authority-building tool for allergy clinics, ENT practices, and any clinic that offers allergy care. By becoming the Official PollyMap Partner for your part of Des Moines, your clinic gets credited on real pollen reports, receives ready-to-share weekly content, and becomes the go-to local expert patients trust.
We assign each partner a designated territory within the Des Moines metro — like a franchise territory. Des Moines has room for multiple partners, but once your area is assigned, it's locked to your clinic.
No clinic has claimed a territory in Des Moines yet. The best areas go to the first clinics that sign up — once one does, that part of town is off the table for everyone else.
Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and Ames each make natural PollyMap territories. The first allergy clinic in each area becomes its credited pollen expert.
- Your clinic credited on every Des Moines pollen report
- Weekly real-sample reports and ready-to-share content under your brand
- Locked territory — competing clinics can't claim your area
- Become the go-to allergy expert in your part of Des Moines
Supported by PollyMap sponsors
Your business could be here
Reach local families checking real pollen conditions in their community.
Become a sponsorReport findings are based on reviewed sample data and are not influenced by sponsors.