If you’re allergic to ragweed, chamomile, echinacea and feverfew belong to its family

Key takeaways

• If you’re allergic to ragweed, mums, marigolds or daisies, you’re more likely to react to chamomile and milk thistle, says an NIH center. It flags feverfew for ragweed too⁴.
• Estimates put the daisy family at about 20,000 to more than 25,000 species, and its main skin allergens can cause rashes from creams, garden plants and even tea²³.
• Australia and New Zealand require foods with royal jelly to warn that it has been reported to cause severe allergic reactions and, rarely, deaths¹.
• In a Swedish clinic study, 6.2% of 722 patients tested for skin allergies reacted to propolis, a bee product found in natural remedies and cosmetics¹¹.
• If a remedy causes trouble breathing, a swollen face or tongue, or fainting, use epinephrine if you have it and call 911¹².

In Australia and New Zealand, every food that contains royal jelly must carry a printed warning. The two countries share a food code. Its current wording, in force since March 2016, requires labels saying royal jelly has been reported to cause severe allergic reactions and, “in rare cases, fatalities,” especially in people with asthma and allergies¹.

Royal jelly is a bee product, not an herb. But that warning makes a point that applies across the natural-remedy shelf. Plants and bee products contain proteins and other compounds that an immune system can mistake for a threat²⁵¹¹.

Many reactions to herbs are itchy rashes². Rarely, a reaction is anaphylaxis. That’s a fast, whole-body reaction that can kill¹².

The good news is that allergies follow patterns. If you know what you already react to, you can predict many of the herbs, foods and bee products to approach with care. This guide shows you how.

Your hay fever can predict some herb reactions

Allergists call it cross-reactivity. The immune system learns to attack a protein in one plant, then reacts to a look-alike protein in another⁵.

The best-known example involves fruit. Up to 50% to 75% of adults with birch pollen allergy get an itchy mouth from raw apple or celery⁵. That figure comes from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). This is called oral allergy syndrome, or pollen food allergy syndrome.

Herbs follow similar logic. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is part of NIH. It says people allergic to ragweed, mums, marigolds or daisies are more likely to react to chamomile⁴. It gives the same list of related plants for milk thistle, and it warns that people sensitive to ragweed may react to feverfew⁴.

Echinacea is a close relative of sunflowers, daisies and ragweed, NCCIH notes, and some people’s reactions to it may be severe⁴. Our articles on chamomile and echinacea cover those herbs’ specific allergy reports.

What nobody can give you yet is the odds. We found no reliable figure for how many people with ragweed allergy react to chamomile tea, echinacea or feverfew. Treat the warnings as a reason for care, not as a forecast.

The daisy family’s skin allergens turn up in gardens, creams and tea

The daisy family, which botanists call Compositae or Asteraceae, is enormous. DermNet, a New Zealand dermatology reference, puts it at about 20,000 species, roughly 10% of all flowering plants². A 2024 review in the journal Cutis counts more than 25,000³.

It includes ragweed, sunflowers, daisies, chrysanthemums, dandelion, tansy and yarrow, plus medicinal herbs such as feverfew, chamomile and arnica²³. More than 200 of its species have been reported to cause allergic skin rashes³.

The main culprits are sesquiterpene lactones, compounds found in the leaves, stems and flowers²³. Once someone is sensitized to one plant, they often react to several related plants².

These plants can cause two kinds of allergy³:

• Immediate reactions, such as hives, swelling, sneezing and, rarely, anaphylaxis. Ragweed hay fever is this type³. Severe reactions usually start within seconds or minutes¹².
• Delayed reactions, called allergic contact dermatitis: an itchy, red, sometimes blistering rash where the plant touched the skin².

DermNet describes where the delayed type shows up. Gardeners, florists and farmers get hand rashes. Airborne plant particles can inflame the face, neck and arms. Chewing the leaves can cause mouth sores².

Even drinking an herbal tea can set off a widespread itchy rash in a sensitized person, one that peaks two or three days later². NCCIH notes that chewing fresh feverfew leaves can irritate the mouth and cause sores⁴.

Products also differ in how often they sensitize people. Arnica tincture does so often, while German chamomile rarely does, the Cutis review reports³. Case reports describe hives and deep skin swelling, called angioedema, after people took echinacea².

The allergy itself tends to be permanent. Stay away from the plants, though, and the rash should settle².

Raw produce, smoothies and seed spices have their own cross-reactions

Pollen food allergy syndrome usually stays in the mouth. Lips, tongue and throat itch or swell right after someone eats a raw fruit or vegetable⁵⁶.

Each pollen has its own list. A second allergy group, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), ties ragweed to banana, cucumber, melons, zucchini and sunflower seeds⁶. It links birch pollen to apple, almond, carrot, celery, cherry, hazelnut, kiwi, peach, pear and plum⁶.

Cooking can help. Baking or microwaving breaks down the problem proteins, and peeling may help too, because the protein often sits in the skin⁵.

One detail matters for people who love green drinks. In 2024, an AAAAI expert panel linked large or fast intake of raw produce in liquid form, such as smoothies, to more serious reactions⁷. Heartburn pills, pain relievers like ibuprofen, exercise, fasting and poorly controlled asthma may also raise the risk⁷.

Serious reactions are uncommon, but they happen. Studies the panel reviewed found anaphylaxis in 1.7% to 8.9% of people with the syndrome⁷.

Seeds used as spices can cause true allergic reactions, too. A 2006 allergy practice guide noted reactions, some life-threatening, to seeds including anise, caraway, coriander, fennel and dill⁸. It called those reports anecdotal, meaning individual cases rather than measured rates⁸.

Latex links. People allergic to natural rubber latex have a higher risk of reacting to bananas, avocados, kiwi and chestnuts, which share similar proteins⁹. MedlinePlus adds weaker links to papaya, figs, celery, melons and tomatoes¹⁰. If you have a latex allergy, ask your allergist before trying remedies made from those plants.

Bee products carry a separate allergy record

Bee products sit on the same shelves as herbal remedies, and they bring their own risks.

Royal jelly. The Australian and New Zealand food code singles out people with asthma and allergies in its required warning¹. If you have either condition, talk with your clinician before trying it.

Propolis. This bee product turns up in natural remedies and natural cosmetics¹¹. Researchers in western Sweden patch-tested 722 consecutive patients with skin rashes in 2016 and 2017¹¹. A patch test places small amounts of possible allergens on the skin to see which cause a rash.

Of those patients, 45, or 6.2%, reacted to at least one of four propolis samples, from China, Lithuania, North America and Sweden¹¹. These were people already referred for skin problems, so the rate in the general public may be lower.

Propolis allergy traveled with certain other allergies. Among people who reacted to propolis, 43% also reacted to balsam of Peru, 23% to rosin, also called colophonium, and 16% to fragrance mix I¹¹. The authors advise warning people with those allergies about propolis¹¹. Our article on fragrance sensitivity explains how fragrance allergy is diagnosed.

Your herb allergy family tree

Herbal traditions treat plants as strong medicine. Respecting that strength means respecting both sides of it. A plant that can soothe can also provoke, and your allergy history is the map.

Use this table as a starting point for a conversation with your clinician or herbalist. It shows likely links, not certainties.

If you react to…	Be careful with…	Why	Source
Ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies	Chamomile, milk thistle, feverfew, echinacea	NIH warns of higher allergy risk or possibly severe reactions	4
A daisy-family rash (positive patch test)	Arnica and chamomile creams, daisy-family cosmetics, herbal teas, garden plants such as tansy and yarrow	Shared skin allergens; reactions to several related plants are common	23
Birch pollen	Raw apple, celery, carrot, hazelnut, almond, kiwi, peach	Pollen food allergy syndrome	56
Ragweed pollen (food side)	Raw banana, melons, cucumber, zucchini, sunflower seeds	Pollen food allergy syndrome	6
Natural rubber latex	Banana, avocado, kiwi, chestnut; less often papaya, figs, celery	Latex-fruit cross-reactions	910
Balsam of Peru, rosin or fragrance mix I	Propolis in remedies and cosmetics	Frequent co-reactions in patch tests	11
Asthma or other allergies	Royal jelly	Required warning in Australia and New Zealand	1
A past reaction to any herb	Every product listing that herb, in any form	Contact allergy is usually lifelong	2

A few habits help. Try one new herb at a time, so you know which one caused a problem. Read the full label on blends, teas and creams, since daisy-family extracts turn up in all of them²³.

Testing for herb allergies: what’s possible and what isn’t

For skin rashes, patch testing is the main tool. In one study DermNet cites, a Compositae mix detected 87% of daisy-family allergies and a sesquiterpene lactone mix detected 65%². Extracts of the actual plants were still needed to confirm every case².

The Cutis authors recommend testing with both mixes, plus the plants a patient has handled, because no single screening substance catches everyone³. In North America, about 2% of patients who are patch-tested react to the Compositae mix³.

For immediate reactions, testing is less precise. There’s no definitive test for pollen food allergy syndrome. Allergists combine a positive skin or blood test to the pollen with your history of symptoms⁵. For people with severe reactions, the authors of the 2024 AAAAI report noted that testing with the fresh food itself, called prick-to-prick testing, could be especially useful⁷.

Don’t test yourself. Deliberate exposure to see whether you react can trigger a severe reaction. MedlinePlus, writing about latex allergy, says such trials belong under an allergist’s supervision¹⁰. Our article on IgG food tests explains why those popular blood tests don’t diagnose allergies.

What to do when a reaction starts

Many herb reactions are rashes or mouth itching. Knowing the signs that point to something worse can save a life.

Allergy groups differ on what happens after epinephrine. AAAAI’s patient page says to go to an emergency room even if you feel better, since symptoms can come back a few hours later¹⁵.

ACAAI says a 2023 allergy guideline now lets some people stay home if symptoms clear quickly after one dose. They must carry two doses, know their device and have a helper nearby¹³. Unless an allergist has set you up with that plan, call 911.

Report it. For a dietary supplement, file a report through FDA’s Safety Reporting Portal, which accepts reports from consumers as guests¹⁴. For a cream or other cosmetic, use FDA’s MedWatch online form, or call 1-888-723-3366 and choose option 4¹⁴. Reports help FDA spot dangerous products, even when they’re incomplete¹⁴.

What the evidence shows

Claim	Evidence rating	What it rests on
Daisy-family herbs are safe for people with ragweed allergy	Evidence says no, or unsafe	NIH warnings and case reports of hives, swelling and severe reactions24
Patch testing can find daisy-family skin allergy	Strong evidence, with gaps	A standard dermatology test; in one study the mixes caught 65% to 87% of cases, and no single mix catches everyone23
Royal jelly is harmless for people with asthma or allergies	Evidence says no, or unsafe	Reported severe reactions and rare deaths, enough to require a label warning1
Propolis is gentle enough for allergy-prone skin	Evidence says no, or unsafe	6.2% of patch-tested patients reacted in one Swedish study11
Any one herb’s exact risk for a ragweed-allergic person	Not enough evidence	We found no reliable rates; NIH names related-plant allergies as a risk factor4

Questions readers ask

The bottom line

Herbs are plants, and plants cause allergies. Daisy-family herbs such as chamomile, feverfew, milk thistle, arnica and echinacea carry the clearest warnings for people with ragweed or related allergies. Bee products, raw produce, seed spices and latex-linked foods add their own patterns.

Most reactions are rashes. A few are emergencies. Know your own allergy history, try one new remedy at a time, read full ingredient lists, and call 911 for breathing trouble, swelling or fainting.

Related reading

• Chamomile eases worry a little, and its skin and colic claims rest on less
• Echinacea came from the prairie and barely touched colds in big trials
• IgG food tests mostly show what you eat, not what hurts you
• Europe now names about 80 scent allergens, while U.S. labels can still say “fragrance”
• The symptoms that mean call 911 now

Sources

1. Food Standards Australia New Zealand. “Standard 1.2.3 – Information Requirements – Warning Statements, Advisory Statements and Declarations” (Amendment No. 154), dated March 25, 2015, commenced March 1, 2016. New Zealand Gazette, 2015. gazette.govt.nz
2. DermNet. “Compositae allergy.” DermNet professional reference, accessed October 2026.
3. Wallace CE, Elston DM. “Asteraceae dermatitis: everyday plants with allergenic potential.” Cutis, 2024;114(4):E18-E21. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Fact sheets “Chamomile” (related-plant allergy, anaphylaxis) and “Echinacea” (possibly severe reactions; related to ragweed), both updated November 2024, and “Feverfew” (ragweed sensitivity, mouth sores) and “Milk Thistle” (related-plant allergy), both updated February 2025. nccih.nih.gov, nccih.nih.gov, nccih.nih.gov and nccih.nih.gov
5. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. “Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) or Pollen Food Syndrome.” AAAAI Conditions Library, accessed October 2026.)
6. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome.” ACAAI, reviewed March 21, 2019. acaai.org
7. Al-Shaikhly T, Cox A, Nowak-Wegrzyn A, et al. “An International Delphi Consensus on the Management of Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome: A Work Group Report of the AAAAI Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, 2024;12(12):3242-3249. aaaai.org
8. Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters. “Food Allergy: A Practice Parameter.” Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2006;96(3 Suppl 2):S1-S68. aaaai.org
9. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. “Latex Allergy.” AAAAI Conditions Library, accessed October 2026. aaaai.org
10. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. “Managing latex allergies at home.” National Library of Medicine, reviewed January 20, 2026. medlineplus.gov
11. Nyman G, Oldberg Wagner S, Prystupa-Chalkidis K, Ryberg K, Hagvall L. “Contact Allergy in Western Sweden to Propolis of Four Different Origins.” Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 2020;100:adv00256. medicaljournals.se
12. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. “Anaphylaxis.” National Library of Medicine, reviewed January 20, 2026. medlineplus.gov
13. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “If I use epinephrine for an allergic reaction, do I have to call 911?” ACAAI, February 13, 2026. acaai.org
14. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “How to Report a Problem with Dietary Supplements” (content current as of March 13, 2025) and “How to Report a Cosmetic Product Related Complaint” (content current as of October 5, 2026). fda.gov and fda.gov
15. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. “Anaphylaxis.” AAAAI Conditions Library, page dated June 18, 2026. aaaai.org