Plant these hay fever friendly flowers to reduce summer sneezing

Allergies are, quite literally, irritating. They transform what is meant to be your serene outdoor space into a hellish sneeze-inducing landscape. In the United States, approximately 19.2 million adults and 5.2 million children suffer from allergic rhinitis, better known as hay fever, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

But the good news is that there are flower options for virtually everyone, even people with hay fever. The trick is to choose the right plants. Here are six hay fever friendly flowers you might want to consider.

Flowers for people with hay fever

Of course, you’ll also need to consider factors like your local environment and the weather, but here are a few flower options to get you started, courtesy of Interflora:

Snapdragons

Also known as Antirrhinums, snapdragons have tightly closed buds that minimize pollen release. “Said to represent the meaning of ‘graceful lady’, these flowers provide nectar to bumblebees which are one of the few insects capable of ‘opening’ the flower, ‘according to Interflora.

Peonies

This popular summer flower with “large, luxurious, taffeta-like flower heads” is a good choice for those with hay fever, as it is pollinated by insects rather than wind.

Roses

It turns out that people with allergies can, in fact, stop to smell the roses. This is because roses only release small amounts of pollen into the air. Opt for varieties with tight buds for even less exposure to pollen.

Gladiolus

Gladioli are native to South Africa and have flowers containing thick, sticky pollen. This means that they are usually pollinated by bees, instead of the pollen being transferred by the wind.

Astrantia

According to Interflora, “Astrantia was first cultivated in Britain in the 16th century and has become a favorite of cottage gardens, which can also be found in the wild.” They also tend to have lower pollen levels.

Hydrangeas

Like many of the other flowers on the list, hydrangeas depend on bees for pollination, which means their natural design discourages pollen from drifting in the wind (and making us sneeze).