Ahchoo! It's Allergy Season

To be sure, many of these plants do prompt some hay fever-like symptoms. More likely these problems are attributed to the fragrance rather than the pollen. People with allergies also tend to have sensitive airways and can be adversely affected by anything from dust and smoke to pollution and perfume.

It should also be noted that most colorful and showy flowers are actually safe for people with allergies. That's because they are insect-pollinated and their beautiful petals serve to attract bees and other critters. Their pollens are heavy, sticky and have a variety of surface structures, such as spines. The pollen grains of these colorful flowers can easily and securely attach to the insect and are not easily picked up by wind currents. These pollens seldom cause allergies.

One way to help select so-called "sneezeless" plants, though, is to examine the flowers. Plants which produce the most frequent allergies are wind-pollinated. Interestingly, these flowers are often drab, inconspicuous and often form in clusters or tassels called catkins.

The biggest clue when it comes to allergy-causing plants always comes down to yourself. If you sneeze or your eyes water whenever you pass a certain spot in your garden, take a closer look. It just might be that inconspicuous plant in the corner with very few flowers at all.

Consider this list of allergy-producers versus their sneezeless counterparts:

TREES: Allergy-producers include acacia, alder, almond, ash, birch, cottonwood, fruitless mulberry, elm, oak, pecan, poplar, sycamore, sweetgum and willow. Replace them with sneezeless specimens like catalpu, Chinese tallow, coral tree, crape myrtle, dogwood, fig, fir, jacaranda, orchid tree, pear, plum, redwood, silk tree and strawberry tree.

SHRUBS: Instead of ceanothus, elderberry, juniper, privet, rhamus or thuja, replace them with nandina, manzanita, oleander, pyracantha, viburnum or yucca.

FLOWERS: Avoid amaranthus, chrysanthemum, crocus, dianthus, freesia, heliotrope, hyacinth, iberis, pelargonium, primula, salvia and viola. Plant instead azalea, begonia, bougainvillea, camellia, cymbidium, pansy, poppy, ranunculus and solanum.

LAWNS: Bermuda, bluegrass, ryegrass and redtop are the worst for allergies. The best sneezeless types include dichondra, hipprocrepis comosa, Irish moss and mazus reptans.

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The American Academy of Allergy and Immunology (AAAAI) offers everything from a plant and pollen photo gallery and pollen/spore counts on its web site.

You can also check out the Allergy Network, or look up allergenic plants, grasses, weeds and trees.

Of course, you can type in "allergy" in any search engine and come up with hundreds of matches!

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