Valentine’s Day 2023: 12 Beautiful Hypoallergenic Flowers For Your Partner This V-Day

Why Some Flowers Cause Allergic Reactions

Flowers can trigger a wide range of allergic symptoms which can sometimes be life-threatening. Pollen grains in flowers are the main cause of allergic reactions. They are basically a reproductive part of flowers which help them to reproduce. Pollen grains appear as a fine or coarse powdery substance which is light enough to get stirred in the air and cause adverse reactions when inhaled by humans. Usually, reactions are caused by flowers that produce more pollen or releases more pollen through the air.

When pollen grains enter our body via nose or mouth, our body treats them as foreign substances and produce histamines to fight against those grains and in the process, cause allergic symptoms like coughing, sneezing, headaches, asthma and many others. As there are many pollen-based flowers that bloom every season, pollen allergies are regarded as one of the common allergies that affect people in every season, especially in the spring season. Medical experts call pollen allergies as 'hay fever' or 'seasonal allergic rhinitis'. [1]

The chances of getting allergic reactions due to pollen grains of flowers also depend on the type of weather around us. In dry and windy days, more people get allergies while during rainy and winter days, people are less likely to get affected by pollen allergy.

Which Type Of Flowers Cause More Allergies

It's quite confusing when some flowers cause high allergic reactions while some don't. Identifying which flowers can cause more allergies depends on the gender of the plant. Male flowers are the one responsible for the production of pollen grains and causing allergies.

There are some plants which are dioecious in nature, meaning the whole plant is either male or female. Pollination in such plants is very hard as the pollen grains of the male plants need to travel long distances to reach the female plants. Winds are the only powerful communication method that can help in their transfer. [2]

The pollen grains of the dioecious flowers are usually light in weight to facilitate their transfer via winds for pollination. In the process, it gets transferred to human eyes and nose and cause allergic reactions. On the other hand, pollen grains of monoecious flowers (male and female flowers in the same plant) are large making them less transferable via wind and also attractive to pollinators like bees that help them in pollination.

Best Hypoallergenic Flowers For Your Partner

1. Daffodils

Narcissus tazetta, commonly known as daffodils are bright yellow-white flowers that grow from a bulb and occur in clusters. This hypoallergenic flower produces less pollen than other flowers which are pollinated by insects not wind.

2. Asiatic Lilies

They are one among the prized flowers which are extensively used for gifting and decoration purposes. They mainly get pollinated by butterflies, hummingbirds or bees that carry pollen from one flower to another thus, avoiding the risk of pollen allergy.

3. Carnations

Dianthus caryophyllus, commonly known as clove pink or carnations is a type of sweet-scented flower mainly produced in a group. Carnations are available in many colours. They get pollinated by butterflies and bees and are thus, hypoallergenic.

4. Geranium

They are an iconic garden flower known to beautify the place where they are grown. Wild Geranium has the ability to self-pollinate in the absence of pollinators. However, it gets pollinated by beetles, bees and flies and the chances of pollination by wind get reduced.

5. Hyacinth

They belong to the family Asparagaceae and are highly fragrant with reflexed petals. Due to the immense fragrance of hyacinth, they are more likely to attract insects like honey bees which help in their pollination.

6. Begonia

They belong to the family Begoniaceae and have more than 1800 species. They make for the best ornamental and gifting flowers. The main pollinators of begonia are Apidae and Halictidae bees.

7. Hydrangeas

These flowers are native to Asia, Japan and China and bloom in a bunch of 15-20 forming a round shape. Hydrangeas are basically sterile (not able to reproduce) flowers due to the absence of pollen or other reproductive structure. They are only known to feed pollinators due to their attractive hue.

8. Clematis

They have around 300 species and belong to the family Ranunculaceae. Pollinators like hoverflies and bees get attracted to clematis due to a sweet liquid produced in the stamens. They help in their pollination preventing the pollination via winds.

9. Orchids

They are flowering plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae. They have a vibrant purple hue and sweet fragrance. Some orchids are self-pollinating while others need pollinators like butterflies, moths and birds for reproduction.

10. Hosta

They are tiny white flowers that belong to the family Asparagaceae. Hosta flowers are engineered in such a way that they have both the male and female reproductive organs, facilitating the process of self-pollination.

11. Peonies

They are flowering plants of the family Solanaceae. Peonies are small and exotic flowers which are known to cover the entire plant when bloom. They get pollinated by bees, hummingbirds and hawkmoths by cross-pollination.

12. Roses

They are best known as an epitome of love. Roses are available in tons of colours and are hypoallergenic in nature. They are unlikely to cause allergic reactions due to low-pollen count.

Flowers To Avoid

There are certain flowers responsible for severe allergic symptoms either due to high pollen counts or light-weighted pollens that can easily be released into the air. Such flowers are not a good choice for gardening or gifting. They are as follows:

• Chamomile
• Dahlia
• Sunflowers
• Chrysanthemums
• Baby's breath
• Gerber Daisies