The Ogren Plant Allergy Scale (OPALS)[1] is an allergy rating system for plants that measures the potential of a plant to cause allergic reactions in humans.[2]
Ogren Plant Allergy Scale
Purpose
measures plant potential to cause allergic reaction
The OPALS allergy scale was first published in Allergy-Free Gardening, by Thomas Leo Ogren, in 2000.[1] It covers over 3,000 common trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses.[3] The allergy scale was updated and extended in 2015 in The Allergy-Fighting Garden.[4][5][6]
The Ogren Plant Allergy Scale takes into account pollen allergies, contact allergies, and odor allergies, with higher weighting given to pollen allergies that are caused by inhaling pollen into the lungs. Additionally, plants that cause contact allergies (such as rashes or itching), or that are highly poisonous when ingested even though their pollen does not cause respiratory allergies, are never given low ratings.[1]
Low allergy ratings are considered to be 1 through 3 on the allergy scale. Mid-range ratings are 4 through 6, and high ratings are 7 through 10. Plants with ratings of 9 or 10 have an extremely high potential to cause allergic reactions.
^Ogren, Thomas Leo (2015). The Allergy-Fighting Garden. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press. ISBN9781607744917.
^Prakke, Peter (2018). Veterans Gardening Guide. Tellwell Talent. p. 19. ISBN978-1-77370-342-8.
^"Canadian Urban Allergy Audit" (PDF). Marketwire.com. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^McCusker, Kris. "Urban allergy audit provides glimmer of hope for Toronto allergy sufferers". 680news.com. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^Hansen, Jolene. "Put Pollen in its Place". Garden Center. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
^Ogren, Thomas. "A Plan for Cities Wishing to Reduce Pollen-Allergies and Related Allergic-Asthma". icangarden.com. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^"Strategic Plan for Asthma in California" (PDF). cdph.ca.gov. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
External linksedit
Official website
February 15, 2024
ogren, plant, allergy, scale, opals, allergy, rating, system, plants, that, measures, potential, plant, cause, allergic, reactions, humans, purposemeasures, plant, potential, cause, allergic, reaction, contents, scale, system, application, references, external. The Ogren Plant Allergy Scale OPALS 1 is an allergy rating system for plants that measures the potential of a plant to cause allergic reactions in humans 2 Ogren Plant Allergy ScalePurposemeasures plant potential to cause allergic reaction Contents 1 Scale system 2 Application 3 References 4 External linksScale system editThe OPALS allergy scale was first published in Allergy Free Gardening by Thomas Leo Ogren in 2000 1 It covers over 3 000 common trees shrubs flowers and grasses 3 The allergy scale was updated and extended in 2015 in The Allergy Fighting Garden 4 5 6 The Ogren Plant Allergy Scale takes into account pollen allergies contact allergies and odor allergies with higher weighting given to pollen allergies that are caused by inhaling pollen into the lungs Additionally plants that cause contact allergies such as rashes or itching or that are highly poisonous when ingested even though their pollen does not cause respiratory allergies are never given low ratings 1 Low allergy ratings are considered to be 1 through 3 on the allergy scale Mid range ratings are 4 through 6 and high ratings are 7 through 10 Plants with ratings of 9 or 10 have an extremely high potential to cause allergic reactions OPALS Rating Guideline 1 7 1 3 Very low potential to cause allergic reactions4 6 Moderate potential to cause allergic reactions exacerbated by over use of the same plant throughout a garden7 8 High potential to cause allergic reactions advise to plant as little as possible9 10 Extremely high potential to cause allergic reactions should be replaced with less allergenic speciesApplication editCanada The OPALS allergy scale was used in the Canadian Urban Allergy Audit which was conducted in 2012 8 9 United Kingdom OPALS allergy scale labels for plants sold at nurseries have recently become available for use within the United Kingdom 10 United States OPALS has been adopted for use by the American Lung Association and the U S Department of Agriculture Urban and Community Forest Service 1 More recently the California Public Health Department has endorsed the use of this allergy scale in city landscape planning to reduce asthma 11 12 References edit a b c d e Ogren Thomas Leo 2000 Allergy Free Gardening Berkeley Ten Speed Press ISBN 1580081665 Hirschlag Ally 16 May 2020 How urban planners preference for male trees has made your hay fever worse The Guardian Retrieved 17 May 2020 Harrar Sari N Sick of Sneezing Allergy Proof Your Yard ABC News Retrieved 3 May 2014 Zacharias Colleen Sneeze wheeze solutions please Winnipeg Free Press Retrieved 5 May 2014 Tom Ogren Academia Retrieved 5 May 2014 Ogren Thomas Leo 2015 The Allergy Fighting Garden Berkeley Ten Speed Press ISBN 9781607744917 Prakke Peter 2018 Veterans Gardening Guide Tellwell Talent p 19 ISBN 978 1 77370 342 8 Canadian Urban Allergy Audit PDF Marketwire com Retrieved 3 May 2014 McCusker Kris Urban allergy audit provides glimmer of hope for Toronto allergy sufferers 680news com Retrieved 3 May 2014 Hansen Jolene Put Pollen in its Place Garden Center Retrieved 25 June 2016 Ogren Thomas A Plan for Cities Wishing to Reduce Pollen Allergies and Related Allergic Asthma icangarden com Retrieved 3 May 2014 Strategic Plan for Asthma in California PDF cdph ca gov Retrieved 12 May 2018 External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ogren Plant Allergy Scale amp oldid 1083525693, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
