“Claritin battles botanical sexism in pollen reduction campaign”
— Ad Age
Male Trees VS Female Trees
Tree pollen is the leading cause of seasonal allergies in the U.S
Part of the reason? A lack of female trees. For decades, based on a 1949 USDA recommendation, city planners have been planting male trees instead of female trees because they’re easier to maintain. As male trees don’t bear fruits, they don’t litter the ground. But male trees produce pollen. Whereas female trees don’t. They actually absorb it. So, Claritin, the leader in allergy relief, decided to take a stand, and not just relieve allergies, but help prevent them.
Case Study
Restoring botanical balance one female tree at a time
Claritin launched the DiversiTree Project. An initiative to restore botanical balance by making female trees more accessible to everyone. We planted female trees across America, turning the most pollen-ridden cities into allergy-fighting, backyards, gardens and parks. And because allergy sufferers are everywhere, we partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation, to distribute female trees nationwide. Through our website, anyone could order a free female tree.
The Study
To provide policymakers with data they didn’t have before, we commissioned a study with Cornell University, proving that a future full of female trees is a better, more allergy-free world for us all.
“The 1st study of its kind to figure out how tree planting campaigns can reduce pollen”
— Dan Katz, Cornell University
