Cypress allergy

Cypress allergy (Cupressus sempervirens) is a dominant winter allergen in Mediterranean Croatia. Cypress flowers from February to April, peaking in March. It is often mistaken for a cold because symptoms start in winter, and allergy sufferers rarely expect pollen at that time. Cypress is widely planted as an ornamental tree in Split, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Pula and other Mediterranean towns.

Symptoms of cypress allergy: intense sneezing (often in the morning), a heavily runny nose, watery and red eyes, swollen eyelids, an itchy palate. In sensitive allergy sufferers, asthma also worsens. A distinctive feature: symptoms start in February - a month when a pollen allergy is not expected, so it is often mistaken for a winter virus.

The cypress season in Mediterranean Croatia lasts from early February to the end of April, peaking in March. Warm winter days (above 12°C) speed up flowering. In northern Dalmatia and Istria the season is 1-2 weeks later than in southern Dalmatia. Continental Croatia has negligible concentrations.

Cypress is dominant along the coast and on the islands - Split, Zadar, Šibenik, Dubrovnik, Pula, Rovinj, Hvar, Brač, Korčula. It is especially widespread in urban areas (parks, tree-lined avenues, cemeteries). The mild Mediterranean climate also allows it to grow in Istria and the northern Adriatic. In Split, Zadar and Dubrovnik, cypress pollen concentrations regularly exceed 50 grains/m³ in March.

If you live in Dalmatia, Istria or the Kvarner region, start preventive treatment (antihistamines) as early as late January. During February and March, avoid parks, cemeteries and tree-lined avenues in the morning hours. Immunotherapy for cypress is available at Mediterranean allergy centres and is recommended for allergy sufferers with severe symptoms. If you have a cypress in your yard, consider replacing it with a non-allergenic species.

Cypress pollen cross-reacts with other Cupressaceae species (juniper, thuja). It rarely triggers OAS reactions to food. Cross-reactivity with pine (Pinus) is minimal because they are evolutionarily distant.

Other allergens