Cape Town pollen forecast — Gardens neighborhood
Pollen Today
Today (20 September) pollen in Gardens, Cape Town is low; cypress, eucalyptus, mugwort, mulberry, and nettle are low.
Pollen Tomorrow
Tomorrow (21 September 2026) levels are similar to today.
7-Day Trend
Over the next week cypress, eucalyptus, mugwort, mulberry, and nettle will increase; grass, oak, and plane will remain stable.
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Pollen Risk
Today - 20 September
| Pollen species | Level | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Alder (Alnus) | None | 0/100 |
| Birch (Betula) | None | 0/100 |
| Hazel (Corylus) | None | 0/100 |
| Cypress (Cupressaceae) | Low | 22/100 |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Low | 14/100 |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 17/100 |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Low | 17/100 |
| Plane (Platanus) | None | 0/100 |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Low | 22/100 |
Tomorrow - 21 September
| Pollen species | Level | Value | 7-Day Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alder (Alnus) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Birch (Betula) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Hazel (Corylus) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Cypress (Cupressaceae) | Low | 22/100 | |
| Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) | Low | 14/100 | |
| Grass (Poaceae) | None | 0/100 | |
| Oak (Quercus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Willow (Salicaceae) | None | 0/100 | — |
| Mugwort (Artemisia) | Low | 16/100 | |
| Mulberry (Morus) | Low | 17/100 | |
| Plane (Platanus) | None | 0/100 | |
| Nettle (Urtica) | Low | 22/100 |
Local Environmental Conditions
Around Gardens, fynbos scrub gives way to planted oak and pine in the older parts of town, with the city bowl, harbour, and southern suburbs shaping the wider landscape beyond. This patchwork of native and introduced vegetation is what drives the short, sharp spring pollen peak each year. This pattern holds true across most of the surrounding Cape fynbos belt.
Winter rains give way to a fynbos and oak pollen season at Gardens from August, with grass peaking through September and October. The surrounding the city bowl, harbour, and southern suburbs shapes some of the local exposure, while the Cape's dry summer months that follow bring a long, low-pollen stretch, a pattern typical of the broader Cape fynbos biome.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pollen in Western Cape
Is pollen high in Cape Town right now?
On 20 September 2026, overall pollen levels in Cape Town are low. Morus is the main contributor to airborne pollen, while myrtle, urtica, artemisia, and cypress remain at lower levels
Will pollen levels change in Cape Town tomorrow?
On 21 September 2026, pollen conditions in Cape Town will be similar to today, with morus at low levels, myrtle at low levels, urtica at low levels, artemisia at low levels, cypress at low levels
Is pollen expected to decrease in Cape Town this week?
According to the five-day outlook, morus, myrtle, urtica, artemisia, and cypress pollen levels will increase later in the week.
Which pollen types are currently active in Cape Town?
On 20 September 2026, Morus is the dominant pollen source in Cape Town. myrtle, urtica, artemisia, and cypress are also present but at lower levels. platanus, grass, and oak are not currently active.
When is pollen season in Cape Town?
How often is the Cape Town pollen forecast updated?
The Cape Town pollen forecast is updated four times daily. See the timestamp below for the most recent update.
Does pollen in Cape Town come from nearby or far away?
Studies show that most pollen exposure (often 70–90%) comes from nearby sources, such as local trees and vegetation. A good pollen forecast therefore depends on accurately representing local vegetation. Pollen can travel long distances, but this usually matters only early in the season or during specific wind events.
Are pollen levels in Cape Town based on measurements or forecasts?
Pollen data is often misunderstood. Most "pollen levels" are not real-time measurements, but forecasts.
Direct pollen measurements are typically delayed by 1-2 days because they require manual analysis. To show current conditions in Cape Town, modern forecasts combine recent measurements, weather data, and information about local vegetation.
This allows us to estimate pollen levels for today and the coming days, not just report the past.
Airmine’s atmospheric monitoring platform was developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA)’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team, using satellite and Earth observation technologies to improve emissions monitoring.
Understanding the Scale
The 0–100 scores represent risk levels, not direct measurements of pollen or air pollutant concentrations. Higher scores indicate higher risk. Pollen and air quality use different thresholds.
Pollen
| None | 0 | No or negligible risk of exposure. Pollen/mold exposure is expected to be minimal. |
| Low | 0-25 | Low risk of exposure. Small amounts of pollen or mold spores may be present. |
| Moderate | 25-50 | Moderate risk of exposure. Pollen/mold exposure is expected to be noticeable. |
| High | 50-75 | High risk of exposure. Elevated pollen/mold exposure is expected. |
| Very High | 75-100 | Very high risk of exposure. Pollen/mold exposure is expected to be at or near its highest levels. |
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Get 15-day pollen forecasts with morning, afternoon and evening detail, plus 5-day air quality forecasts. Explore interactive pollen risk maps, estimated pollen season start, route profiles and a symptoms diary.
Features and forecast availability vary by region. Currently covering Europe, the contiguous US, southern Canada, South Africa, Australia, Indonesia (Java & Bali), Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and the Buenos Aires area.
Developed with support from the European Space Agency (ESA) Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS).
