Flowers and allergies: which to choose if you're allergic to pollen

It is a frequent question, and it almost always starts from a misunderstanding: people believe showy, fragrant flowers are the ones that cause seasonal allergies. As a rule, they are not.

Why

There are two pollination strategies, and only one causes problems:

• Insect pollination. The plant invests in eye-catching, fragrant flowers to attract insects, and produces heavy, sticky pollen that clings to the insect's body. That pollen does not travel through the air: it does not reach your nose unless you put your face inside the flower. This covers almost every flower sold at a florist.
• Wind pollination. The plant does not need to attract anyone, so its flowers are insignificant or outright invisible, and it produces huge amounts of light pollen that travels for miles. That is what causes seasonal allergies.

The real culprits

In Buenos Aires, spring allergies are caused mainly by:

• Grasses: the number one cause, between October and December (spring in Argentina).
• London plane tree: the tree lining Buenos Aires sidewalks. September and October.
• Ash, olive, cypress, poplar.
• Ragweed and privet, in summer and fall.

None of these are sold at a flower shop.

Safe flowers for someone with allergies

• Roses. Heavy pollen, practically no risk.
• Orchids. Among the safest there are.
• Calla lilies and anthuriums. The pollen is contained in the spadix.
• Carnations, tulips, peonies, hydrangeas, camellias.
• Snapdragons and lisianthus.
• Double flowers in general: their stamens have turned into petals, so they produce very little pollen.

The ones worth avoiding

• Lilies: not so much because of allergies as because of the amount of loose pollen on the anthers. The fix is removing the anthers, which also makes the flower last longer and keeps it from staining.
• Chrysanthemums and daisies (the Asteraceae family): they can cause a cross-reaction in people sensitive to ragweed.
• Sunflowers: same family, and with quite visible pollen. Pollen-free varieties exist.
• Tuberose and jasmine: the problem is not the pollen but the intense fragrance, which in a closed room can trigger headaches and respiratory symptoms in sensitive people.

Three simple precautions

1. Ask for the anthers to be removed from lilies and any flower with visible pollen. It takes a minute.
2. Avoid intense fragrances in bedrooms, offices and hospital rooms.
3. Choose double flowers when you can: fewer stamens, less pollen.

A note

This is general information and does not replace an allergist. If the person has a diagnosed, severe allergy, the sensible thing is to ask them directly or choose a different gift. A foliage plant —a pothos, a snake plant— carries no risk at all and is a perfectly worthy alternative.