PollyMapOlive (Olea) / Oleaceae pollen photographed through the microscope in the PollyKit lab — verified in Arizona.
About olive pollen
A potent spring tree pollen from olive trees, restricted by planting bans in some desert cities.
Plants that produce it
- Fruiting and fruitless landscape olive trees
- Olive groves in California and the Southwest
- Related Oleaceae including ash and privet
How to recognize it
Oval grain with three furrows and a fine, evenly meshed net-like surface. Compact and thick-walled.
Typical published size: 18–28 µm
Commonly confused with
- Ash pollen — coarser network, often more angular
- Privet pollen — very similar; family-level calls are common
Allergy relevance
Strongly allergenic — a leading spring allergen in Mediterranean climates, and one reason Phoenix and Tucson restrict new olive plantings.
Where it's found
PollyMap has verified specimens of Olive (Olea) / Oleaceae from Arizona.
California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas and other warm dry regions.
Also searched as: olive pollen, olea pollen, olive tree pollen allergy, oleaceae pollen.
Related pollen specimens
Citing this specimen: PollyMap Specimen Library. “Olive (Olea) / Oleaceae — verified microscope specimen.” pollymap.com/library/specimen/olive-olea-oleaceae-pollen-arizona-4fbed6
Expert discussion
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