12 Flowers Allergy Sufferers Should Avoid (2024)

Gardening

Flowers

Avoid Wind-Pollinated Flowers if You Have Hay Fever

• 01 of 12

  Asters

  

  At the top of the list of allergen-heavy plants would be ones in the Aster family, including many species from the Aster genus. Asters can be everywhere during the warmer months and can even find their way into homes as container plants. Even though most asters are not wind-pollinated, many people with allergies are sensitive to pollen.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–10; depends on species
  • Color Varieties: Nearly any color
  • Sun Exposure: Wide range
  • Mature Size: 1–6 ft. tall, 1–4 ft. wide

• 02 of 12

  Baby's Breath

  

  Baby's breath (Gypsophila spp.) is popular in cottage gardens and many florist bouquets. Although the flowers are small, they can pack a big pollen punch. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the double-flowered baby's breath is a better choice than the single-flowered type. The double flowers are hybrids that have a low level of pollen. It alsohelps that all those petals prevent the pollen from flying off.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9
  • Color Varieties: White, pink
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Mature Size: 2–3 ft. tall and wide
    

• 03 of 12

  Dahlias

  

  Dahlia (Dahlia spp.) flowers are showy enough to attract many insect pollinators, but as members of the Aster family, dahlias pack a lot of pollen. However, some dahlia hybrids classified as "formal doubles" have virtually no pollen. These fluffy flowers have lots of petals and stamens that have evolved into pollen-less staminodes.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 7–11; often grown as an annual
  • Color Varieties: Red, pink, orange, yellow, white, purple
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Mature Size: 1-6 ft. tall, 1-3 ft. wide
    

• 04 of 12

  Daisies

  

  Daisies may look pristine and tame but they are also in the Aster family and are distant cousins to ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia). Many types of this flower, including innocent Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum × superbum), are high pollen producers. Bees, not wind mostly transfer the pollen.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
  • Color Varieties: White
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Mature Size: 9 in.-3 ft. tall, 1-2 ft. wide
    

  Continue to 5 of 12 below

• 05 of 12

  Gerber Daisies

  

  See Also

  27 Types of Daisies to Grow in Your Garden

  One of the flashiest members of the Aster family is the Gerber daisy (Gerbera jamesonii). For all its bling and beauty, it also contains high levels of pollen.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8–11; usually grown as annuals
  • Color Varieties: Yellow, pink, orange, red
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Mature Size: 10–18 in. tall, 9–12 in. wide
    

• 06 of 12

  Chamomile

  

  Another Aster family member, chamomile (Matricaria recutita, Chamaemelum nobile) can cause double trouble. The plants are producers of pollen, and the flowers are used to make tea, which can still harbor some irritants even after brewing.

  Chamaemelum nobile is known as chamomile; Matricaria recutita is known as German chamomile; both are problems for allergy sufferers.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2–9; depends on species
  • Color Varieties: White with yellow centers
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Mature Size: 8–24 in. tall, 8–12 in. wide
    

• 07 of 12

  Chrysanthemums

  

  The Aster family resemblance is strong in chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.), as is the allergy-inducing pollen. Mums help stretch the allergy season well into the fall. Chrysanthemums are hardy plants that come in a huge range of colors and sizes. They're also popular as container plants and are therefore often part of the indoor environment as well.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9
  • Color Varieties: Gold, white, off-white, yellow, bronze (rust), red, burgundy, pink, lavender, purple
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Mature Size: 4-36 in. tall and 12-36 in. wide (size varies depending on the variety)

• 08 of 12

  Ragweed

  

  Also in the Aster family, ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is not considered a garden flower, though it is sometimes planted by gardeners who appreciate its ability to feed bees. It is often confused with goldenrod (Solidago), which is a lovely garden plant that has gotten a bum rap. Goldenrod is not wind-pollinated and does not irritate allergies. However, the wind does pollinate ragweed's weedy, inconspicuous flowers. Ragweed tends to grow alongside roads and in vacant lots.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–10
  • Color Varieties: Yellow, turning to brown
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Mature Size: Up to 6-15 ft. tall

  Continue to 9 of 12 below

• 09 of 12

  Sunflowers

  

  The sheer size of a sunflower's (Helianthus annuus) center disk is an indicator of the copious amounts of pollen that it can produce. Making matters worse, this pollen is dispersed by the wind. Because sunflowers are not fragrant, they often get overlooked as allergy plants. Some pollen-free sunflower varieties, like 'Apricot Twist' and 'Joker', are listed as hypoallergenic because their pollen is too heavy to be wind-borne.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–11
  • Color Varieties: Yellow, red, mahogany, bicolor
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Mature Size: 3–10 ft. tall, 1.5–3 ft. wide
    

• 10 of 12

  Amaranth

  

  The Amaranthus genus contains dozens of species, many of which are grown as ornamental or culinary plants. However, allergy sufferers are likely to think of all of them as pigweed, the common name assigned to weedy annual varieties. Amaranths are wind-pollinated plants and produce masses of ultra-fine pollen particles that drift on the faintest breeze.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2–11 (depends on species)
  • Color Varieties: Red, burgundy, pink, orange, green
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Mature Size: 2–4 ft. tall, 1-2 ft. wide
    

• 11 of 12

  Ornamental Grasses

  

  Ornamental grass species favored by gardeners are found in many genera. Like lawn turf grasses, nearly all ornamental grasses are pollinated by the wind and will cause problems for allergy sufferers.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2–11 (depends on species)
  • Color Varieties: Depends on the species
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Mature Size: Depends on type

• 12 of 12

  English Lavender

  

  Many people have allergic reactions to both the pollen of English lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) and to its scent These fragrant blossoms bloom in clusters of small flowers which are often especially likely to cause nasal allergies since they are wind pollinators.

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–8
  • Color Varieties: Blue, purple
  • Sun Exposure: Full sun
  • Mature Size: 1-2 ft. tall, 2-3 ft. wide