Allergy Free Gardening

In this photo is a very typical landscape, where Podocarpus shrubs have been planted on either side of bedroom windows...windows that can be opened. As is so often the case, unfortunately, many of these Podocapus shrubs and trees are male selections, that will shed very large amounts of pollen. Pollen from all male plants of the Podocapus species (which are quite similar to their close relatives, Taxus species, the Yews) this pollen is microscopic in size, is quite allergenic, and because both Yew and Podocarpus are poisonous species, the pollen itself is toxic.

Podocarpus is used in the making of a powerful chemotherapy drug used to treat leukemia. Likewise, the related Yews, Taxus spp., these too are poisonous plants, and Taxus is used in the making of the chemotherapy drug, Taxol, used for breast cancer. Many people are inadvertently exposed to pollen from male landscape plants of these two genera, especially because they are often used in foundation plantings, and are thus planted close to doors and windows. The most problematic is when these plants are near bedroom windows, because they will bloom, and if male, will shed pollen at almost exactly the same time of year as it is warming up, and people open their bedroom windows to get some "fresh" air. This pollen can easily pass through the tightest window screens (as seen in the next photo), and people exposed to it on a nightly basis as they sleep, they often awaken feeling drugged, tired, not feeling good. This is explainable, as, in effect, they have been exposed to low-level chemotherapy treatments as they slept.

Any male plants of either Podocarpus (Yew Pine, Fern Pine) or Taxus (Yew), should be immediately removed and replaced with allergy-free trees or shrubs. If one likes the look of the foundation plants of Podocarpus or Taxus, these same plants can be used IF they are female plants, as they will not produce any pollen. To ensure getting a female Podocarpus or Taxus, make sure that there are fruits on the plants to be purchased, as fruit with these species is proof that the plant is female. See the photos in this section for female, fruiting Podocarpus and Taxus.