With Spring Comes Hay Fever: What Plants to Avoid

Spring is finally here! After a long and cold winter, everyone is in their glory with the sunshine and warm weather.

However, coming hand-in-hand with the blooming season is some people's dreaded seasonal nightmare: hay fever.

One of the best plans of action for fighting spring allergies is to avoid the things that make your sneezing, itching and watering eyes worse. Warren V. Filley, M.D., a spokesperson for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, recently told health.com which plants you should avoid.

Ragweed : It is common along riverbanks and in rural areas. Dr. Filley says that almost 75 percent of people with allergies are sensitive to ragweed.

Mountain cedar : This tree is commonly found in mountainous regions and, according to Dr. Filley, causes some of the “most severe allergy symptoms I have ever seen.”

Ryegrass : This grass is common in dry lawns, meadows and pastures. This, along with other grasses, is often very problematic for allergy sufferers, Dr. Filley says.

Maple : These trees are found along streams and in woods all through the eastern United States and Canada. The maple produces potent allergens.

Elm : Common in the wetlands, these trees will most likely aggravate your allergies.

Mulberry : This pretty tree can be very deceiving. Found in woods and river valleys, it is often associated with contributing to hay fever.

Pecan : Although it makes many good desserts, the pollen from pecan : found in woods and orchards : is second only to ragweed as the most severe source of allergens.

Oak : It may have less potent pollen, but it produces very large quantities of it, Dr. Filley says. Avoid the woods just for this one.

Pigweed/Tumbleweed : This common weed is found in lawns and along roadsides, but be aware that it will not do your sinuses any good.

Arizona cypress : Found specifically in warm climates and well-drained soil areas, this tree can contribute to pollen problems almost all year round, according to the article.

Mold : Allergies acting up in the spring could be because of mold levels rising with wetter, warmer air. Dr. Filley contributes various types of molds to producing significant allergy symptoms throughout the United States.

While this only touches on a few possible plants and their related allergens, every day researchers are finding more and more possible allergens that people are dealing with in their lives.

Keep in mind that medication will help most symptoms of allergies, but it's best to see an allergist to determine the exact allergy that you are dealing with and treat that particular allergen, rather than taking a general “allergy pill” that encompasses many different symptoms and allergens.