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caroleintegacay

Dark orange colored pollen?

caroleintegacay
15 years ago

I am bumfuzzled about this and I'm hoping someone on here can come up with an answer. For the past few days when I get up in the morning and get in my car there is a fine layer of this dark orange, almost rust colored pollen-like stuff on the windshield. I know that pine pollen is yellow and for some reason it wasn't to much of a problem this year. This stuff is definitely a different color.

Any idea of what this stuff is?

Carole

Comments (22)

  • jqpublic
    15 years ago

    Is your car parked under any specific trees at home or work?

  • Iris GW
    15 years ago

    Sounds like the fuzz that oak flowers produce when they disintegrate.

  • caroleintegacay
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    There is an Ash tree at one end of the driveway and a Bradford Pear in the front yard. The backyard is full of several varieties of oaks so that could be it. I've lived in this house for over 20 years and have never seen this stuff before.

    I was talking to my Mom and she said she had spotted a car in south Charlotte with the same strange orange stuff on it so it isn't just a local thing.

    Carole

  • jqpublic
    15 years ago

    It could be catepillar poop. Every few years they like to attack our Southern Red oak in the front yard and since it overhangs the driveway...they play target practice with my camry.

  • caroleintegacay
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I've seen lots of caterpillar poop....that isn't it. I'm still thinking it is some kind of pollen.

    I work in a medical lab in an MDs office. I went out to my car at lunch time with a sterile swab and gathered up some of this orange stuff. I suspended it in a small smount of saline and took at look at it under a microscope.

    The particle was probably 4 or 5 times the size of a white blood cell, it was round and was encircled with a clear membrane. Inside there was a group of round, dark orange circles kind of clumped together. I still don't know what it is but I've seen it up close and personal now!

    Carole

  • dawgie
    15 years ago

    Ear wax?

  • jqpublic
    15 years ago

    May be in need of a pic to be sure.

  • jaktheanalyst
    14 years ago

    I know that I might be somewhat late in replying to this matter, but I just stumbled across this forum due to the very same issue as mentioned by "Caroleintegacay". For the first time ever I noticed rust colored, almost neon orange looking spots upon the vehicles in my driveway this morning (JUST after washing the car no less). We had a slight rain last night, so I looked around to make certain of whether it was Tree or Precipitation based in nature. The vehicle parked away from the trees only had a handful of spots, whereas the other vehicles were absolutely pelted. We have only two trees over the driveway, and they happen to be a Bradford Pear, and a Gumball Tree.

    Since "Caroleintegacay" mentioned that they also had a Bradford Pear, I do feel that this must be the culprit. I even managed to notice what appears to be very tiny flowers on the Bradford Pear, which I never knew to be the case outside of the annual spring bloom of this particular tree (We have had it for 24 years).

    I hope this helps you in your analysis of the more or less rare pollen discovered upon your vehicle as well.

    BTW, I will take the small orange dots over the green pollination smothering anyday. As long as they can be easily wiped off, they remain much less of a hassle than the complete green my car turns with the typical dry weather pollen.

  • dottie_in_charlotte
    14 years ago

    Odd and mysterious..If this isn't a test then it must be in invitation to all those conspiracy theories out there.

  • alboone_bellsouth_com
    12 years ago

    I live in Greensboro and I have the same problem. It is new this year and has lasted quite a while. There are no new variables to account for it. No one has a real answer to this question thus far. It is widespread and airborne. Actually, it looks more like red clay soil than pollen.

  • tamelask
    12 years ago

    I wonder if it's apple rust on the small pears that bradford pears set. Look and see if the bitty pears have orange fingers coming out of them. i think it's been a specially good year for it. Every single one of my juneberries were hit and i had it on several asian pears. I'd think once that spore gets airborne, it would leave a rusty stain not unlike pollen. Carole can you check it against what the net shows for cedar apple rust? Bet there's images out there since it is a menace to commercial crops.

  • tkhouw
    5 years ago

    Just this weekend we had heavy rain. We also have 6 mature Bradford Pear trees. I was shocked to see Orange everywhere! The more it rained the more orange floated all over the ground! I believe the orange to be pollen washing off the Bradford Pear trees.

  • maryparry
    5 years ago

    Yes, it’s now June 23, 2018, and my Bradford pear tree is also shedding orange pollen. It’s making a mess everywhere—especially on my pool deck and floats on the water. I have never seen a Bradford pear tree do this. It started in mid-May. I live in Dallas. The tree bloomed in early March. This does not seem to be related to its annual spring bloom and leaf out. I’d sure like to know what’s causing this mess.

  • Chelby Sanders
    5 years ago
    Oh my gosh. We live in Dallas and have two huge Bradford pear trees around our pool. The neon orange pollen has been a mystery. Our pool guy has never seen this before either. It’s a huge mess!!! How long will this last??? Why is this happening?
  • Hannah Zalla
    3 years ago

    Me too! I’m in Northern Kentucky and it is all over my white cabana

  • Linda Cook
    3 years ago

    I'm in Northern Ky as well. Bradford pears all over our neighborhood. One in our yard close to the driveway is coating our car parked there. Just went for a walk in the neighborhood and everywhere there is a Bradford Pear, there are piles of orange stuff.

  • Robin Cook
    3 years ago

    Could it be Yard rust that's blowing in air when you mow. My yard is covered in it. I've got to take action and get it under control its a fungus its orange and usually comes from kentucky blue grass. Look it up this may be your source and

  • Sandy Cartwright
    3 years ago

    My tree guy is here now currently cutting down the Bradford pear beside my driveway. It drops these berry type things that stain my cars, driveway, and anything else that is near. It ruined my car after only being parked there for a a few weeks. Yes it leaves almost like a burnt orange sappy like stain.

  • Nettie Knott
    3 years ago

    bradford pear trees make great firewood. LOL


  • Tina Treitler
    last year

    Soooo today my 10 yr old grand daughter forgot to take off her school shoes. A few hours later my daughter (her aunt) noticed this and also noticed a rustish colored substance on her shoes...🤔 turns out...my backyard is covered in it...we don't have those Bradford pear trees but someone in the neighborhood might. Everything ends up in our yard.!😬😵‍💫🥴 I read that this is not pollen but a fungus of some malady that this tree gets...in other words...the tree is sick!

  • HU-397060532
    5 months ago

    I got it too, on top of car ,windshield only when wind blows it gets one side. Anyone know?