Most oil palm pollen is produced by male inflorescences 2–3 days after anthesis, and this pollen is the most viable. When protected, pollen viability on female inflorescences is good up to 6 days, after which it declines. The majority of the pollen remains below the canopy, especially at bunch level. Results of quantitative evaluation of pollen dispersal showed that atmospheric pollen density is very variable and is governed by numerous factors. There is a marked diurnal variation, with highest pollen density during the afternoon and a negligible amount during the night and early morning. Rain causes an immediate drop in concentration, but pollen densities were influenced more by the number of days on which rain was recorded than by total rainfall. A relationship exists between pollen density, the number of male inflorescences in the vicinity, and rainfall, but the effects of relative humidity, sunshine and wind are obscure. Whilst pollen density drops rapidly within a short distance from the inflorescence, there is a significant dispersal over greater distances than previously thought.