What to plant in your garden if you have hayfever (and what to avoid)

If you’re keen to learn more about hypoallergenic flowers, chances are you are one of the many people who suffer from hayfever.

Here, we guide you through the best hayfever-friendly flowers to plant in your garden, and those to avoid, for minimal irritation and maximum enjoyment.

What is hayfever?

Hayfever is an allergy that causes sneezing, coughing, and itchy eyes and throat. However, for those with a pollen allergy, there can be more than one culprit.

People who suffer from hayfever can react to grass pollen, weed pollen, tree pollen, or a combination of all three of these allergens.

• Tree pollen: Occurs from late March to mid-May, and affects around 25% of people
• Grass pollen: Lasts from mid-May until July, with two peaks. Most people with hayfever are affected by this type of pollen
• Weed pollen: Typically felt from June to September, but it can be released at any time

What type of plants make hayfever worse?

Within each category, some species might be more problematic for hayfever sufferers than others.

Trees that shed their leaves (deciduous varieties), plants that rely on wind pollination (making the air abundant with small pollen particles), and those that release high volumes of pollen are the worst plants for hayfever.

Best hypoallergenic flowers for hayfever sufferers

While many plants have the potential to make allergies worse, there are plenty of hypoallergenic flowers that can be enjoyed.

What flowers don’t trigger hayfever?

Rather than being pollen-free flowers, hypoallergenic flowers are those that produce minimal pollen or are pollinated by insects rather than the wind. The great news is there’s a wide selection of low-pollen varieties available in the UK.

Some of the best flowers for hayfever sufferers include:

• Begonias
• Bromeliads
• Daffodils
• Foxgloves
• Geraniums
• Hostas
• Hydrangeas
• Irises
• Orchids
• Pansies
• Peonies
• Petunias
• Phlox
• Primroses
• Rosemary
• Roses (stick to cultivated species and avoid wild rose varieties)
• Sage
• Scabious
• Sea holly
• Snapdragons
• Thyme
• Tulips
• Verbena
• Violets
• Zinnias

Varieties of plants to avoid:

• Asters and Daisies – attractive, but not for allergy sufferers
• Chrysanthemums and Dahlias – bold and beautiful, but packed with pollen
• Gerberas and Gypsophila – great for bouquets, not so much if you have hayfever
• Lavender – these heavily scented wind pollinators can cause reactions
• Oak trees – these deciduous giants can cause severe hayfever
• Ragweed – often found at the roadside or in meadows
• Sunflowers – unless you source a pollen-free variety

Worst indoor plants for allergies

Not all hayfever sufferers will experience the same reaction to the same plants. However, knowing what plants cause hayfever, generally speaking, is a good starting point to try to minimise allergens within the home.

Some of the worst indoor plants for allergies include:

• African violets
• Ferns
• Marigolds
• Poinsettias
• Wax plants

Hayfever sufferers are better suited to indoor plants that don’t flower, i.e. stick to the leafier kind. Many indoor plants, such as palms, can actually help to purify the air, which can be an added bonus for allergy sufferers.

Some of the best indoor plants for hayfever sufferers include:

• Aloe Vera
• Areca palm
• Birds of Paradise
• Cacti
• Devil’s Ivy
• Dragon tree
• Eucalyptus
• Peace Lily
• Snake plant
• Spider plant

Tips for planting a hayfever-friendly garden

It can be hard to know what to plant in your garden if you suffer from hayfever. However, as we’ve outlined, various hayfever-friendly flowers can be enjoyed without the risk of streaming eyes and an itchy throat.

To design a garden that minimises exposure to allergens, consider the following ideas:

• Fill your garden borders with non-flowering plants
• Opt for low-pollen grasses
• Steer clear of plants that release high volumes of pollen as they are more allergenic
• Avoid wind-pollinating plants (those that rely on wind to carry their pollen)
• Choose plants that rely on insects to distribute their pollen
• Try not to plant heavily-scented flowers – opt for fragrance-free varieties instead

Find a gardener to help plan the perfect allergy-free space

An experienced local gardener will have the knowledge and expertise to recommend the best hypoallergenic flowers and plant varieties for your outside space. Search your postcode to see who comes highly rated in your local area.

FAQs

What plant causes hayfever?

Several plant varieties can cause havoc for hayfever sufferers. Wind-pollinating plants that produce large volumes of airborne pollen are the worst culprits. These tiny pollen particles are easily picked up by the wind and just as easily inhaled, causing irritation. Some examples include ragweed, dahlias, sunflowers, daisies, chrysanthemums, and oak trees.

What flowers don’t trigger hayfever?

Hypoallergenic flowers produce minimal pollen or are pollinated by insects rather than the wind. Some popular examples include hydrangeas, tulips, and some varieties of roses.