Pollens from Russian poplars blanket Srinagar, trigger health concern Srinagar, May 6: Summer capital Srinagar has over the past few weeks witnessed a familiar yet unsettling seasonal phenomenon as cotton-like fluffs or pollens from Russian poplar trees drift across neighborhoods, coating roads, rooftops, and waterways. The airborne clusters, often mistaken for pollen, are in fact seed-bearing fibers released by female poplar trees, now peaking during the spring cycle. From Dalgate to Hazratbal and the outskirts of Harwan, residents describe scenes that resemble a light snowfall, with white tufts accumulating rapidly on footpaths and lawns.