Oak

Oaks are most easily recognized by their nut fruit, the acorn. This ripens in the first or second year after pollination. Depending on location and variety, an oak can grow up to 40 meters tall and live for over 1,000 years. A typical characteristic of the oak is that it does not shed dead branches. The catkin flowers grow up to 2-5 cm long and are pollinated by the wind. A direct oak pollen allergy is rather rare, often it is formed by a cross-allergy of the birch family.

Pollen season

Depending on the weather, the pollen count can start as early as March. The main flowering time of the oak is between April and May, during which time the flowers open and attract countless insects. The nut-like acorns ripen in autumn.

Possible cross-reactions

An allergy to oak pollen is usually manifested by a cross-reaction to birch pollen. Due to the main allergen of the slope birch (Bet V 1), allergy sufferers often show reactions to birch, alder, hornbeam, hazel and/or beech pollen.