Tree fuzz woes set to end after a few rainstorms

The fluff clogging your drains and making you sneeze should hopefully be gone in the next few weeks.

Ryan Johnston, the supervisor of the City of Regina’s pest control department, said another good dump of rain should help.

“We should see the end of it real quick here,” he said. “Another decent rain or so and it should blow itself out.”

Each year, female poplar trees produce a cottony substance that floats through the air, working as a transport system to spread more seeds. Male poplars do not produce fluff.

Willow, elm, and poplar trees all produce the fuzz.

Johnston said it’s a common misconception that people are allergic to the fluff. It can be an irritant, but it’s the pollen and dust that fuzz picks up that makes people sneeze.

A long dry summer the year before could be the reason for so much fluff flying through the air.

“It felt like it was bad this year and that may be due to a dry summer last year,” said Johnston. “Sometimes if the poplars are stressed, they will produce a lot of seeds the next year.”

The poplar fuzz can plug up sewers and stormwater systems, which then can cause floods. People are encouraged to clear their storm drains if the fluff blocks the waterflow.