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Real-time pollen data for Las Vegas - updated daily.
Most of Las Vegas's worst tree allergens are not native desert species but non-native trees planted for landscaping and shade. Mulberry trees were so aggressively overplanted that Clark County banned their sale and planting in 1991 due to massive pollen production. Despite the ban, surviving mulberry trees remain throughout the valley and continue producing significant pollen each spring. UNLV's pollen monitoring program has identified mulberry as a chronic pollen offender in Las Vegas. European olive trees were banned in the same 1991 ordinance for identical reasons. Ash trees release significant allergenic pollen in March and April. Oak pollen peaks from March into May, depositing visible yellow-green dust across the valley. Juniper and cypress trees begin pollinating as early as February, with juniper peaking in March. Pine and sycamore trees contribute spring pollen. Cottonwood and mesquite, more common in older neighborhoods with established landscaping, pollinate from March through May.
Bermuda grass is the dominant grass allergen in Las Vegas, widely used in residential lawns, parks, golf courses, and commercial landscaping throughout the valley. Despite the desert setting, Las Vegas has extensive irrigated grass that produces substantial pollen from late spring through summer. Bermuda grass pollen is fine and wind-dispersed, triggering symptoms even at moderate counts. Kentucky bluegrass, Timothy grass, ryegrass, Johnson grass, and orchard grass round out the grass allergen mix. The grass pollen season in Las Vegas is relatively brief compared to humid climates because triple-digit summer temperatures suppress pollen production significantly by July, providing a narrow window of relief before fall weed season begins.
Fall is one of Nevada's worst allergy seasons. Ragweed appears from late August through October, and while not as prevalent as in eastern U.S. cities, it has become well-established in disturbed soil, roadsides, and urban areas throughout the Las Vegas Valley. UNLV researchers documented extreme ragweed pollen counts during the 2023 spring season, indicating this allergen is becoming more significant. Sagebrush is one of the most prevalent native plants in the surrounding Mojave Desert, releasing fine, lightweight pollen that travels long distances on desert winds during late summer and fall. Russian thistle (tumbleweed) pollinates during its green growing phase before drying and dispersing seeds as it tumbles. Pigweed, goosefoot (lamb's quarters), English plantain, and nettle contribute additional fall weed pollen.
Las Vegas's dry climate creates a counterintuitive allergy problem: the lack of humidity dries nasal passages and reduces the mucus that naturally traps and filters allergens. This means pollen reaches deeper into airways more easily than in humid cities. Desert dust and construction particulate matter from the valley's continuous development irritate airways year-round. Dust mites persist indoors despite the arid climate, particularly in air-conditioned homes where sealed environments maintain consistent humidity. Mold, while less visible than in humid regions, develops wherever moisture collects, including around evaporative coolers, leaking pipes, and irrigated landscapes. Cockroach allergen is also a documented indoor trigger in the Las Vegas area.
Severity: Low to Moderate
Las Vegas allergy season starts earlier than most residents expect. Juniper and cypress trees begin releasing pollen in February, with counts building through the month. Ash and elm trees start contributing by late February. The warm, dry, windy conditions common in late winter accelerate pollen dispersal across the open valley landscape. Indoor allergens including dust mites remain consistent in climate-controlled homes.
Severity: High to Severe
This is Las Vegas's worst allergy period. Mulberry trees (surviving despite the 1991 ban) and olive trees produce intense pollen loads. Oak pollen peaks from March through May. Ash, pine, sycamore, cottonwood, and mesquite overlap through this window. By May, Bermuda grass pollen begins, creating an overlap with late tree pollen. Windy spring days scatter pollen valley-wide, and the dry air means your nasal passages offer less natural defense. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation has ranked Las Vegas among the top 35 worst U.S. metros for allergy sufferers.
Severity: Moderate, Declining
Bermuda grass pollen peaks in early summer across the valley's extensive irrigated lawns, golf courses, and parks. Kentucky bluegrass, Timothy, and ryegrass contribute additional pollen. However, as temperatures climb past 110 degrees in June and July, pollen production from most plants drops significantly. This brief summer reprieve is one of the few periods where Las Vegas outdoor allergen levels are genuinely low. In spring and summer, pollen levels tend to be highest in the evening, unlike many other cities where morning is worse.
Severity: Moderate to High
As temperatures moderate from the summer extreme, fall weed pollen surges. Ragweed becomes the primary allergen from late August through October, with morning hours seeing the highest concentrations. Sagebrush, the most prevalent native plant in the surrounding desert, releases vast quantities of lightweight pollen during this period. Russian thistle, pigweed, goosefoot, and English plantain add to the weed allergen load. Mold spores increase during fall as temperature fluctuations create morning dew that activates growth. This is also when many Las Vegans first realize their recurring symptoms are allergies, not repeated colds.
Severity: Low
December provides Las Vegas's clearest relief from outdoor allergens. Cooler temperatures halt most plant pollination. However, indoor allergens persist as homes are sealed and heated. Dust mites continue in climate-controlled environments. Desert dust and construction particulate remain in the air. By late December, the earliest juniper and cypress pollen may begin, previewing the upcoming spring season.
Many people assume a dry desert climate should reduce allergies, but the opposite can be true. Las Vegas's extremely low humidity dries out nasal passages and reduces the mucus your body produces to trap and filter allergens. This means pollen and dust particles penetrate deeper into your respiratory system than they would in a humid environment. Staying hydrated, using a saline nasal rinse daily, and running a humidifier in your bedroom can help restore your body's natural defenses. This is one reason newcomers who expected allergy relief in Las Vegas are surprised to find their symptoms persist or even worsen.
Clark County banned mulberry and European olive trees in 1991 due to their extreme pollen output. However, trees planted before the ban remain throughout the Las Vegas Valley, and some have been growing and pollinating for decades. UNLV's pollen monitoring program continues to track mulberry as a chronic pollen offender in the valley. If you live near established neighborhoods with mature landscaping, your spring allergy exposure may be significantly worse than newer developments with desert-appropriate plantings. Identifying the specific trees near your home or workplace helps explain why symptoms may vary by location.
Las Vegas is one of few major U.S. cities where triple-digit summer temperatures actually suppress pollen production. From late June through July, most plants dramatically reduce or stop pollinating, creating a genuine low-allergen window. Use this period to schedule outdoor projects, deep-clean your home of accumulated pollen and dust, and prepare for the fall ragweed and sagebrush season that begins in August. This summer lull is unique to Mojave Desert cities and is a planning advantage most allergy sufferers do not realize they have.
Las Vegas has an unusual pollen timing pattern. During spring and summer tree and grass seasons, pollen levels are highest in the evening, unlike many other cities where morning is the worst. During late summer and fall ragweed season, levels are highest in the morning. Adjusting your outdoor exercise and activities based on the season can meaningfully reduce your pollen exposure. Early morning runs in spring and evening activities in fall align with each season's lower-pollen periods.
Most of Las Vegas's worst allergen-producing plants are not native desert species but exotic landscaping trees and grasses imported for shade and aesthetics. Bermuda grass lawns, decorative ash and pine trees, and lingering mulberry or olive trees all contribute heavily to valley-wide pollen counts. Converting your yard to native desert landscaping (xeriscaping) with low-allergen plants like desert willow, palo verde, or native succulents reduces your personal pollen exposure and conserves water in a drought-prone region.
Las Vegas's sprawling valley layout, heavy tourist traffic, and construction-clogged roads make traditional allergist visits time-consuming. HeyAllergy offers telemedicine appointments with board-certified allergists and immunologists licensed in Nevada. Book a virtual consultation, have allergy blood tests ordered at a local lab, and receive your personalized treatment plan without navigating the I-15, US-95, or Beltway during peak hours. HeyPak sublingual immunotherapy (allergy drops) ships directly to your door and treats the root cause of allergies by building tolerance to your specific Las Vegas triggers.
March through May is Las Vegas's worst allergy period, with peak tree pollen from mulberry, olive, oak, ash, and juniper overlapping with the start of Bermuda grass season. Fall brings a second wave from August through November with ragweed and sagebrush. The worst overall months are March, April, May, and September. Summer triple-digit heat provides a brief reprieve in late June and July.
The most common allergens in Las Vegas are mulberry tree pollen (despite the 1991 ban), olive tree pollen, Bermuda grass, ragweed, sagebrush, desert dust, ash, oak, juniper, and dust mites. Most of the worst allergen-producing plants in Las Vegas are non-native species planted for landscaping rather than native desert plants. A blood allergy test identifies your specific triggers.
Clark County banned the planting and sale of mulberry and European olive trees in 1991 because both species produce extraordinary amounts of highly allergenic pollen. Male mulberry trees were massively overplanted for shade, and the resulting pollen caused severe allergic reactions and asthma in many valley residents. Trees planted before the ban still exist and continue pollinating each spring.
Yes. HeyAllergy provides telemedicine appointments with board-certified allergists and immunologists licensed in Nevada. Book a virtual consultation from anywhere in the state, have allergy blood tests ordered at a lab near you, and start a personalized treatment plan without visiting a clinic. No referral needed and no waitlist.
HeyPak sublingual immunotherapy uses customized liquid drops placed under your tongue daily. The drops contain precise doses of the specific allergens triggering your symptoms, whether mulberry, olive, Bermuda grass, ragweed, sagebrush, or dust mites. Over time, your immune system builds tolerance, reducing allergic reactions and medication dependence. Most patients notice improvement within 3 to 6 months.
HeyAllergy accepts Medicare and most major PPO health plans, including United Healthcare, Health Net, Anthem Blue Cross, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, Humana, Oscar, and Tricare. Contact your insurance provider with Tax ID: 85-0834175 to confirm your specific telemedicine coverage.
Probably not long-term. While you may experience initial relief as your system adjusts to new allergens, most transplants develop sensitivities to Las Vegas-specific allergens within one to three years. The dry air actually weakens your body's natural pollen defenses by reducing nasal mucus. Las Vegas was ranked among the top 35 worst U.S. metros for allergy sufferers by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
HeyAllergy offers fast scheduling with no waitlist. Book a telemedicine appointment with a board-certified allergist and connect from home using your phone, tablet, or computer. No need to drive through Las Vegas Valley traffic to sit in a waiting room.
Las Vegas sits in the heart of the Mojave Desert at approximately 2,000 feet elevation, surrounded by mountain ranges and receiving only about 4 inches of rain annually. It is one of the driest and hottest major cities in the United States, with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 110 degrees. For decades, allergy sufferers from across the country relocated to Las Vegas and other desert cities expecting the dry climate to eliminate their symptoms. The reality has proven very different. Las Vegas's warm temperatures support an extended pollination calendar, and the explosion of non-native landscaping plants throughout the valley has created an urban allergen environment that rivals many traditionally green cities. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has ranked Las Vegas among the top 35 worst U.S. metropolitan areas for allergy sufferers, a ranking that has worsened in recent years.
Las Vegas's most distinctive allergy story involves two trees that were so problematic the county made them illegal. In 1991, Clark County banned the sale and planting of both white mulberry trees and European olive trees due to the severe allergic reactions their pollen caused across the valley. Male mulberry trees had been massively overplanted as fast-growing shade trees in new suburban developments. They thrived in the desert heat and produced enormous quantities of pollen that caused widespread respiratory distress. UNLV's pollen monitoring program has tracked mulberry as a persistent chronic pollen offender even decades after the ban, because pre-ban trees have lifespans of 30 to 50 years. Olive trees faced the same fate, with their fine, powdery pollen triggering asthma and severe hay fever. Despite the ban, both species remain scattered throughout established neighborhoods, parks, and older developments across the valley.
A striking feature of Las Vegas allergies is that most of the valley's worst allergen-producing plants are not native desert species. Native Mojave Desert plants like cactus and succulents tend to have low pollen counts and rely on insects, moths, and bats for pollination rather than wind. The allergen problem was created by importing non-native trees and grasses for aesthetics and shade as the city grew explosively from the 1950s onward. Ash, oak, pine, sycamore, and cottonwood trees were planted throughout subdivisions and commercial areas. Bermuda grass was installed in millions of square feet of lawns, parks, and golf courses. These water-hungry, pollen-heavy imports transformed what was once a low-allergen desert environment into an urban pollen zone. As Las Vegas continues to expand, newer developments increasingly use desert-appropriate landscaping, but the legacy plantings throughout established areas will continue producing pollen for decades.
Las Vegas's extremely low humidity creates a counterintuitive physiological disadvantage for allergy sufferers. Your body's primary defense against airborne allergens is the mucus lining your nasal passages and airways. This mucus traps pollen, dust, and mold spores before they can penetrate deeper into your respiratory system. In Las Vegas's desert air, nasal passages dry out and produce less protective mucus, allowing allergens to bypass this natural barrier and reach the lungs more directly. This is one reason people who relocate to Las Vegas for allergy relief often find their symptoms do not improve, or may even worsen. The dry air effectively disables one of your body's most important allergen filters.
Las Vegas is one of the few U.S. cities with a dedicated, multi-site pollen monitoring network. The CCSD/UNLV Pollen Monitoring Program, established in 2013 as a partnership between the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Clark County School District, and the county Department of Air Quality, operates air sampling stations at UNLV's campus and four school sites distributed across the valley. This valley-wide coverage provides neighborhood-level pollen data for the west, northwest, southeast, and central areas. The program has documented that mulberry remains a chronic offender despite the ban, that ragweed counts have reached extreme levels in recent years, and that olive pollen varies significantly by location based on proximity to surviving pre-ban trees.
The Las Vegas Valley stretches across a broad desert basin with heavy traffic congestion, particularly on the I-15, US-95, and Beltway corridors. Adding tourist traffic, construction zones from continuous development, and summer heat that makes even walking to a parking lot uncomfortable, traditional clinic visits carry a significant time and effort cost. HeyAllergy's telemedicine model lets Las Vegas residents consult board-certified allergists and immunologists from the comfort of their air-conditioned homes. Allergy blood tests are ordered at a convenient local lab, and HeyPak sublingual immunotherapy drops ship directly to your door. This root-cause treatment gradually builds tolerance to your specific desert allergens, whether mulberry, olive, Bermuda grass, ragweed, or sagebrush, without requiring repeated trips across the valley for allergy shots.
