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Notes from the Nuthatch: Pollen Tonic



BRYCE – The wind whooshes through the meadow. I watch as a fog of neon yellow separates from the Ponderosa pines, hanging heavily in the air before dispersing.

Running a fingertip along our countertop leaves it coated in grainy dust. Atop the water in the bird bath is a pale, swirling film. When I open the cabin door, a cloud of particles billows in, settling in mustardy drifts across the tile floor.

I breathe in the pine pollen and sneeze.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, Ponderosa pines are not known to cause allergies. The size of their pollen grains is partly to explain for this—small enough to be windborne, causing slight irritation and a wheeze here and there, but not small enough to be inhaled so deeply as to set off an immune system reaction (you can blame the grasses and junipers for that).

NftN_Pollen_Illustration
Ponderosa pines are not known to cause allergies, and are, in fact, used in traditional food and medicine for their perceived health benefits. Illustration by Kadi Franson

In fact, pine pollen has long been used in traditional food and medicine for its perceived health benefits. Some consider it a superfood, and there are recipes for pine pollen pesto, pancakes, and smoothies. In China, pine pollen is mixed with honey and shaped into little truffle cones to be eaten with chopsticks for an annual springtime treat. Sound appetizing? A quick online search will reveal a host of modern-day purveyors selling 3-ounce jars of pine pollen for over a hundred bucks. Here in southern Utah, we can simply step outside, help ourselves to a deep whiff of high-quality pollen, and sneeze it out again, freely.

What’s the point of all this pollen? If you look closely at a Ponderosa pine, you will find two different cone types; the woody, quintessential-looking cone is the female part of the tree’s reproductive system, and the squishy rosette of orange catkins is the male part. The male cones are the source of the pollen.

When the wind blows, it sends the pollen adrift. Some of it lands on young female cones, where it will have a chance to fertilize an egg deep within. Each female cone can produce up to 70 seeds. Pick up a few pinecones, and consider that you might be holding the potential for a small forest in your hands.

Over time, the seeds develop—if you pull off a fibrous scale from a mature female pine cone, you will find a visible seed at its base. They are delicate and light on the wind—imagine a brown pebble attached to a cicada wing.

The female cones eventually release the seeds or fall from the tree themselves, breaking down in the soil. The seeds are then foraged by many forest creatures, including birds and rodents, who return the favor by dispersing them to greater distances. With the right conditions, these tiny kernels will grow into towering pine trees.

It’s a comfort to know that the gusty winds of the last months are doing some good in the world. So breathe deep, forest lovers. As far as the perceived health benefits, one thing is clear: All of the whirling pollen is helping to proliferate the mighty trees that characterize this place we call home—and knowing that in itself is a tonic for the spirit.

Notes from the Nuthatch is a nature column written by Kadi Franson, a naturalist and artist living in Garfield County.