Denver, CO Cottonwood Pollen

Cottonwood pollen in Denver usually peaks around April to May, reaching Moderate at its worst. Denver's mile-high, dry climate shapes a distinct allergy year: mountain juniper on warm late-winter days, cottonwood in spring, grass through summer, and ragweed in fall.

Cottonwoods along the South Platte and city creeks release pollen in April and May, alongside the cottony seed fluff that shares their name.

Cottonwood in Denver today

Monday, July 27, 2026

Cottonwood isn't picked up by the live pollen sensors near Denver, so there's no daily number for it. Based on the season, July is typically None for Cottonwood.

See Denver's full pollen report and 5-day forecast →

Cottonwood pollen by month in Denver

How cottonwood usually runs across the year. The current month is outlined.

Jan
None
Feb
None
Mar
None
Apr
Moderate
May
Moderate
Jun
None
Jul
None
Aug
None
Sep
None
Oct
None
Nov
None
Dec
None

Managing cottonwood season in Denver

If cottonwood is your trigger, start a daily antihistamine like cetirizine (Zyrtec) or loratadine (Claritin) a week or two before the April to May peak, rather than waiting for symptoms. Keep windows closed on high-count mornings, shower and change clothes after time outside, and run the AC on recirculate in the car.

When symptoms don't ease with over-the-counter medicine, an allergist in Colorado can test whether cottonwood is really what you react to and talk through longer-term options like allergy shots.

Sources

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Seasonal pattern based on Colorado pollen data and local sources. Today's reading updated daily. MyPollenPal