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TownDock ran a cover photo of pine tree pollen on March 23. It inspired Oriental resident, arborist and former Tree Board leader Bob Miller to write in. Bob shares a few things about loblolly pines and pollen that we didn’t know.

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ocal pines are wind pollinated, including loblolly, by producing two kinds of reproduction cones, male cones that make pollen (see photo below) and female cones that are smaller, oval in shape, and lower on the tree.

A loblolly pine

Pine trees, on the banks of Smith Creek

Producing pollen high in the tree allows the pollen to go greater distances on the wind and fertilize female cones on different individuals.

It also reduces the chance of the tree self-fertilizing. Genetically that’s a pretty good plan.

Bob Miller

Timing is important. Pines pollinate before the deciduous trees leaf out and that increases the chance of successfully fertilizing pines further away. Oaks, maples, hickories, ash and many other kinds of wind pollinated plants are now flowering and, being wind pollinated, don’t need a conspicuous flower. The timing strategy that works for the pines also works for other wind pollinated plants.

Pine pollen is very conspicuous but is not particularly allergenic. Most allergies that people experience this time of year are from other wind pollinated plants, but these plants have very fine pollen that is hard to see.

We see the yellow pine pollen but it’s not doing a whole lot to us. It’s the pollen we don’t see that we have the most trouble with.

While pine pollen can be a bit of a nuisance, remember what we are witnessing are pine trees in love.

(story by Bob Miller, photos by Ben Casey)

Related Links:

• Oriental Tree Idol – Bob Miller wins International Award

Posted Monday March 23, 2026 by Keith N. Smith