It's officially spring now, and tree pollen is raining down upon us – but only the pollen from certain trees is a problem for allergy sufferers.

According to WFIE News, Dr. Jason White has a simple rule of thumb: Pretty, flowering plants are generally not threatening for allergy sufferers.

‘The maple tree doesn't have any flowers on it, and the maple tree requires the wind to blow the pollen far away, and that's what makes allergy sufferers so miserable. The dogwood, it attracts bees; it attracts beetles, and it carries the pollen on the bee. So, it's not as allergenic because you don't get exposed to it,’ says Dr. White.

Trees that are ‘allergy-friendly’ include apple, cherry, dogwood, magnolia, pear, and plum.

The trees that are releasing all the problematic pollen at this time of year include alder, ash, aspen, beech, birch, box elder, cedar, cottonwood, cypress, hickory, juniper, maple, mulberry, oak, olive, palm, pecan, pine, poplar, sycamore, walnut, and willow.

Dr. White offers the following advice to pollen allergy sufferers: ‘Make your motto, 'Leave the outdoors, outdoors.' Take off your shoes, so you don't track those things in the house. Change your clothes in the laundry room and leave those clothes in the laundry basket. Don't carry them throughout the rest of the house. Wash your hair before you go to bed at night so the pollen doesn't get on your pillow at night.’
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_See our Seasonal Allergy Solution Guide to learn more about pollen allergy.