Houseplants can add some color to any room. They can also filter the air for you as the make new oxygen. That’s assuming you have purchased the best houseplants for your space.
There are some houseplants that you’ll want to avoid bringing home at all costs. Some of these can be allergy nightmares. Here are the ones that you will want to avoid.
#1. Juniper
This includes bonsai plants. These houseplants might be tiny, but if you have tree allergies, they will deliver a mighty punch. Common allergic reactions to junipers including skin rashes, hives, and trouble breathing. Although wearing gloves can reduce allergy symptoms, you may wish to avoid this option completely.
#2. Daisies
These flowers may be beautiful, but they also have a high pollen count. Most daisies come home in bouquets of flowers, which means they are pollen-ready to distribute allergens throughout your home. If you experience hay fever or have spring allergies each year, you’ll want to avoid bringing these flowers home with you.
#3. English Ivy
When you see this houseplant growing along the side of a home, it can look quite lovely. They are effect at filtering out the air in your home, which makes them a common inclusion on a “best houseplants to bring home” list. Some people, however, experience a similar reaction to English ivy as they do with poison ivy, including a blistering rash.
#4. Sunflowers
About 3 out of every 10 people in the United States have some type of allergy to the pollen of these flowers. Consuming the seeds may also trigger an allergic reaction for some. Although they are beautiful and elegant, you can spread pollen triggers throughout your home with this flower. For those with a food allergy to them, it is best to avoid this flower completely.
#5. Ficus
This common houseplant offers a sap that many people don’t realize they’re allergic to until they are exposed to it. The sap is nasty when there’s an allergy because it can attach itself to the dust particles in your home. Then you breathe it in and this creates an allergic reaction. If you are allergic to latex, then avoid this houseplant at all costs.
#6. Palm
Indoor palm trees are best if you can find a female tree. Male trees produce plenty of pollen that can trigger frequent allergic reaction. If you struggle with other pollen allergies, it is best to avoid this houseplant option altogether.
#7. African Violets
This houseplant may present beautiful purple flowers, but it also collects a whole lot of dust. The fuzzy leaves of the plant attract the dust, then trap it, which can create allergic reactions for some. Choose a variety with waxy leaves or clean your houseplant at least once per week to avoid issues with it.
When you choose the best houseplants for your home, you are able to create an inviting space that feels fresh and new every day. Avoid these houseplants whenever possible, especially if there is an allergy involved, to make your home more inviting.