The following plants can cause problems for people with allergies and should be avoided. In general, it’s a good idea to avoid any plant which releases its pollen into the air, rather than relying on insects for pollination. For sensitive individuals, it is also a good idea to avoid anything that gives off a strong scent, such as certain rose varieties.

The Plants to Avoid: Botanical and Common Names

Flowering Plants

• Amaranthus caudatus – love lies bleeding, tassel flower
• Chrysanthemum – chrysanthemum, daisy (numerous varieties)
• Thalictrum – buttercup
• Aster – aster
• Daucus carota – Queen Anne’s lace, wild carrot
• Doronicum – leopard’s bane
• Alyssum – alyssum
• Leontopodium alpinium – edelweiss
• Ligustrum – privet hedge
• Tanacetum – tansy, painted daisy
• Cryptomeria japonica – Japanese cedar
• Celosia – cockscomb
• Echinacea purpurea – purple coneflower
• Syringa – lilac
• Matthiola – stocks
• Lavendula – lavender

Shurbs/Bushes/Herbs

• Artemesia – wormwood, tarragon
• Ligustrum – privet hedge
• Hydrangea paniculata & quercifolia – pee-gee and oak leaf hydrangea

Trees

• Cryptomeria japonica – Japanese cedar

Grasses

• Carex – sedge

Vines and Climbing Plants

• Hedera – ivy

Now that you’ve rooted out all the allergy-offenders from your garden, it’s time to check out our list of sneeze-free options.

Sources: Allergy-Free Gardening, by Thomas Leo Ogren, Creating a Low-Allergen Garden, by Lucy Huntington and Peter Prakke, Horticulturalist.

See Also: Low-Allergy Plants