Wind-pollinated trees
Hmmrph. In spite of glorious spring weather in late March and April in the Southern U.S., the combination of a long, cold winter (extended into February) followed by a series of suddenly warmer days has meant that pollen from our native oaks and hickories has been released all at once, showering EVERYTHING in a golden dust. Rain last Thursday settled things down for awhile, but this week, more sunny days mean more pollen. The counts are remarkable and setting records. Achoo!