Garden plants for allergy sufferers

- by Debra Anchors

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, seasonal allergies affect 22 million Americans each year, while 12 to 15 million suffer with asthma. Pollen is often a garden-lover’s worst nightmare.

Dr. Jeffrey Sugar, a board-certified allergist, explains that trees such as oaks, maples, and birches lead to spring allergy symptoms. Grasses, such as those found along roadsides, cause problems in June and July; and weeds, especially ragweed, trigger symptoms between August and the first frost.

Not all flowers produce allergenic pollen. You may need to forgo a favorite flower or two, but you will find many low-allergy plant options with which to create a lovely garden.


Low-allergen plant choices –

Crab apple
Daylily
Delphinium
Hollyhock
Mealy-cup sage (and other sages such as scarlet sage)
Pansy
Peony
Petunia
Snapdragon
Tulip tree

Plants to avoid –

Asters

Birch trees

Cosmos

Daisies

Flowering tobacco

Foxglove

Garden mums

Grasses

Lantana

Marigold

Ragweed

Spider flower

Sunflower

Zinnia

Image Note: False color scanning electron microscope image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower, morning glory, prairie hollyhock, oriental lily, evening primrose and castor bean.  Public domain image (created by the Dartmouth Electron Microscope Facility).

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-Debra

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