Fall Allergies

Sagebrush is a major source of allergic pollen, equal to grass pollen in symptomatology, and blooms and releases heavy amounts of pollen during mid-September to mid-October causing about a month or more of allergy symptoms. Depending on the weather, sagebrush can bloom a week earlier or one to two weeks later than mid-September. If September rains arrive, sagebrush pollen concentrations can be minimal. Sagebrush counts can reach levels totaling 400 to 500 counts per 24-hour sample in ideal conditions. Sage counts over 100 are not well tolerated, causing moderate to severe allergy symptoms. Sagebrush may bloom two to four weeks early in the mountain plateaus with low sagebrush counts seen on our Boise valley pollen counts. This early mountain blooming of sagebrush can result in significant allergy in susceptible mountain hikers and campers.


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