Introduction
In Graz, around March, just before Easter, the weather starts to get warmer and large amounts of fluffy white material begin floating through the air. I have also seen the same phenomenon in Slovenia.
There can be a surprisingly large amount of it. The first time I saw it, I was quite surprised. White, fluffy particles were floating through the air, and in some places, it almost looked like snow.
I suffer from hay fever, so I was quite concerned about it and sometimes wore a mask when going outside.
（当ブログの記事をまとめたポータルページはここです）
（オンラインショップを始めてみました。是非こちらからご覧になってください。）
Amazon.co.jp
あなたと一緒に作る海外旅行【トラベル・スタンダード・ジャパン】
What Exactly Is This White Fluff?
I Tried to Find Out Where It Was Coming From
I started wondering, “Where is all this fluff coming from?” So I took a closer look at the bushes and trees around my neighborhood.
Then I noticed some trees near the areas where the fluff was floating around. They had small, somewhat spiky-looking structures that resembled fruits, and it appeared that the white fluff was coming from them.
Poplar? Cottonwood?
Possible Sources I Found
After looking into it, some of the possible sources I found included:
- Poplar trees
- Cottonwood trees
Poplar trees in particular are known for producing large amounts of fluffy seeds, so I suspect that this is probably what I was seeing in Graz.
I even showed a photo to Siri, and it identified the tree as a poplar.
Is It Related to Hay Fever?
It May Carry Other Pollen and Dust
The fluffy material itself may not necessarily be an allergen, but it can potentially carry pollen and dust through the air.
In other words, the white fluff itself is not necessarily pollen, but it can still make things uncomfortable for people with allergies.
What Spring Is Really Like in Graz
There Really Is a Lot of It
It is not simply a case of “a little fluff floating around.” On some days, there can be a surprisingly large amount of it in the air.
- Along the roads
- In parks
- Along the river
- In grassy areas
Large amounts of fluffy white material can be seen drifting through the air in all of these places.
It Does Look Like a Sign of Spring
As someone with hay fever, I find it a little troublesome, but from a purely visual perspective, it does create a very spring-like atmosphere in Europe.
In Japan, cherry blossoms are one of the iconic signs of spring. In Graz, this fluffy white material might also be one of the things that makes you think, “Spring has arrived.”
How Is It Different From Japan?
Much More Than I Usually See in Japan
Japan also has fluffy seeds floating through the air, but I do not remember seeing them in such large quantities.
That is why I was quite surprised when I first experienced it in Graz.
Few People Seem to Wear Masks
On the other hand, local people did not seem particularly concerned about it.
I rarely saw people wearing masks, and most people seemed to simply go about their daily lives as usual.
（当ブログの記事をまとめたポータルページはここです）
（オンラインショップを始めてみました。是非こちらからご覧になってください。）
Amazon.co.jp
あなたと一緒に作る海外旅行【トラベル・スタンダード・ジャパン】
Conclusion
During spring in Graz, there is a period when large amounts of fluffy white material float through the air.
It seems to come from poplar-type trees, and the sheer amount of it makes it quite a distinctive sight.
To summarize:
- It starts appearing around March
- There can be a surprisingly large amount of it
- It seems to come from poplar-type trees
- It can be bothersome for people with hay fever
- But it also creates a distinctive springtime landscape
That was my experience.
I was quite surprised the first time I saw it, but now it has become one of the seasonal signs of spring in Graz that makes me think, “This time of year has come again.”
コメント