Pine: The Pollen with a Bad Rap
Pine: The Pollen with a Bad Rap Written by Dr. Joel Gallagher, Allergy and Asthma Center of NC, Cone Health Medical Group Ahhhh… the sweet smell of pine. The smell of the winter holiday season. The smell of that quintessential cleaning solution that my mom used to clean just about anything around the house when I was growing up. Pine definitely brings me back to where I grew up in northern Louisiana. Pine trees were everywhere (including several 100+ year old pine trees in my own backyard). The names of establishments around my hometown literally began with “Piney Hills” (Piney Hills Golf Course, Piney Hills Tackle Shop, etc.). Pine trees are a big part of my new home here in North Carolina as well, although hardwoods tend to be more prominent in the Piedmont Triad. It was always taught during my fellowship and all board review books that pine (member of the genus Pinus ) is a non-allergenic pollen. Although it gets a LOT of the blame for spring allergy symptoms (at least whe...