Seasonal Allergies Have You Sniffling? Learn How to Create an Allergy-Friendly Yard
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Seasonal Allergies Have You Sniffling? Learn How to Create an Allergy-Friendly Yard

Allie Johnson
Allie Johnson,Freelance Writer
Allie Johnson
Award-winning freelance writer with over a decade of experience.
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01/12/2026 6 min read
Learn which parts of the country are worst for seasonal allergies, plus tips for combatting allergy triggers in your yard.
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Spring has sprung, and that means sunshine, bees buzzing, buds blooming and—for many—the onset of seasonal allergies. If you’re battling constant sneezing, an itchy nose and watery eyes, you’re not alone. Allergy eye drops and pills can help, but you can also take other steps to manage your symptoms.
 
Below, we’ll share which parts of the country are worst for seasonal allergic rhinitis (also known as hay fever), along with tips for combatting allergy triggers in your yard. We’ll also talk about which plants to avoid and which may work better for allergy sufferers, plus yard upkeep tips to help you keep seasonal symptoms in check.

Ah-choo! The Worst Places for Seasonal Allergies

Seasonal allergies can be more difficult to deal with depending on where in the country you live. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) 2025 Allergy Capitals report ranked the largest 100 U.S. metropolitan areas in terms of allergies, with all 20 of the worst areas clustered in the Midwest and South. The report ranks the cities based on three factors: pollen scores, over-the-counter allergy medicine use and the availability of board-certified allergy specialists.
 
The five worst metro areas for allergies, according to the report, are:
 
  1. Wichita, Kansas
  2. New Orleans, Louisiana
  3. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  4. Tulsa, Oklahoma
  5. Memphis, Tennessee
Man stands beneath trees, sneezing
Why are the most challenging areas for allergy sufferers situated in these two regions? “These are areas with warmer, more humid climates that allow plants to grow for longer and in turn produce pollen for longer,” says Hannah Jaffee, research director for the AAFA.
 
But that doesn’t mean you should pack up and move. Cities can change position on the list from year to year, and your allergies could become worse in a new location, depending on your specific allergies, Jaffee says. “Pollen is everywhere, and there’s really no area that’s not impacted by pollen,” she says.

Nothing to Sneeze At: Creating an Allergy-Friendly Yard

No matter where you live, you can take steps to turn your yard into an oasis that may be less likely to set off your sneezing.
 
The worst plants for allergy sufferers fall into three categories: trees, grasses and weeds. The allergies caused by these plants tend to follow seasonal patterns, with trees causing the worst symptoms in spring, grasses in summer and weeds in fall.
 
A flowering treeTo determine whether a plant is likely to cause allergies, check its ranking on the OPALS scale. This 10-point scale ranks various trees, flowers, grasses and shrubs based on their likelihood of causing pollen allergies. For some plants, rankings may differ depending on if the plant is male or female. But here are some general guidelines.
 

Trees

Trees that produce small pollen grains carried by the wind tend to cause allergies to flare. Some of the worst trees for allergies include alder, beech, birch, cedar, cottonwood, elm, oak, walnut and willow trees.
Tip: Choose allergy-friendly trees. If you’re planting or replacing trees in your yard, consider trees that produce larger, heavier pollen grains spread by bees, beetles and other pollinators, rather than wind. As a bonus, these trees tend to have showy flowers to attract pollinators. Allergy-friendly trees may include various types of fruit trees, such as apple, apricot and pear trees, as well as dogwoods, redbuds and magnolias. If you’re sensitive to strong scents, you may want to keep that in mind before choosing trees for your landscaping.
 

Grasses

Could you be allergic to your lawn? Grasses produce a lot of pollen, and most of it is spread through the air, making it a major cause of seasonal allergies. Grasses that can trigger an allergy attack include Bahia, Bermuda, fescue, Kentucky blue, rye and timothy grasses.
Tip: Replace a sneeze-inducing lawn. If you suspect grasses are kicking up your allergies, consider planting a lower-allergen grass such as certain Bermuda grass hybrids specifically bred to produce little to no pollen. Another option is to create outdoor living areas with hardscaping or pea gravel. You can intersperse the space with allergy-friendly plants that rely on pollinators, such as begonias, daffodils, tulips, salvia and sunflowers.
 

Weeds

Ragweed pollen is far and away the biggest cause of seasonal allergies: One in seven people are allergic to ragweed pollen, according to the AAFA. Each ragweed plant can produce up to 1 billion pollen grains. But other weeds can cause allergies too, including burning bush, mugwort, pigweed, Russian thistle and sagebrush.
Tip: Root out problem weeds. If you have ragweed or another allergy-provoking weed growing in your lawn or flower beds, you can identify and eliminate weeds by using a selective weed killer that won’t harm the rest of your vegetation.
 
To keep pollen from traveling from your neighbor’s yard and beyond, you can also plant an allergy barrier. This is a tall hedge made of allergy-friendly shrubs around your yard to provide some protection from clouds of pollen carried toward your home on the wind.
 
A gardener spraying flowers

Nip Allergies in the Bud: Tips for Yard Work

Even if you have trees, grasses or weeds that trigger seasonal allergies, you don’t necessarily need to revamp your entire yard. Instead, you can take measures to minimize your exposure during and after yard work.
 
Here are some tips for managing seasonal allergies as you work in the yard.
 
  • Keep your lawn mowed short. By mowing your lawn frequently and keeping it low to the ground, you may reduce the amount of pollen and avoid triggering your allergies.
  • Do yard work when pollen counts are low. You can check pollen counts using a website like Pollen.com or the Pollen Wise app, Jaffee recommends. “They can help you plan for things you might not have control over,” she says.
  • Protect yourself from pollen. Consider wearing a hat, sunglasses and even a mask when working in your yard to minimize the amount of pollen that gets into your eyes, nose, mouth and lungs, Jaffee says.
  • Wash away pollen after yard work. When you come inside after doing yard work, remove your shoes at the door, throw your clothes in the wash, and take a shower to remove the pollen, the AAFA recommends.
If these precautions and over-the-counter allergy medicines don’t help, consider visiting an allergy specialist to inquire about testing and treatments such as immunotherapy.

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