Low allergy plants needed in town centres

Friday November 14th, 2008

Town planners are being asked to consider allergy sufferers when choosing plants for "green spaces".

Some of the species that are commonly used are known to trigger allergy symptoms. These include cypress trees, privets, plane trees, daisies and grasses.

Pollen allergy has increased over recent years, and now affects about 20 per cent of allergy sufferers. Women are more likely to be affected than men, and rates are higher among children than adults.

City-dwellers are already at a higher risk because of pollutants and low-quality air, believes allergy expert Paloma Carinanos Gonzalez of the University of Granada in Spain.

She explains that humidity and time of year are also important. "In general, temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees centigrade in spring and 50 to 60 per cent humidity facilitate the emission of pollen. This, together with a moderate wind speed, makes diffusion even stronger."

She feels that overall, "town councils use too many ornamental plants in parks and gardens".

Instead, she recommends widening the diversity of plant species and using "native flora instead of exotic species". Avoiding the predominant use of just a few species could significantly reduce the level of allergies provoked by decorative plants, she adds.

Suitable alternatives include magnolias, citrus trees, and herbs such as lavender, rosemary and sage.

Ms Carinanos calls on town councils to let allergy experts play a "greater role in the design of landscaped areas" in order to design green spaces with a lower allergy impact.

Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Europe

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