<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The green infrastructure of Zagreb’s Lower Town is made up of row-planted trees and green spaces within blocks of buildings. All schools are surrounded by green spaces that have a positive impact on the environment. Although most green spaces contribute to improving the quality of life, they also contain toxic and allergenic species which are potentially hazardous, particularly to children. This paper aims to make an inventory of plant species in the environment of primary schools in Zagreb’s Lower Town district, and to determine the presence of toxic and allergenic species. The field research was conducted from March to the end of May 2021 at 7 primary school locations. 13 either annual or biennial plant families were catalogued. In total, 34 species of herbaceous perennials and geophytes, and 36 species of trees from 17 plant families were listed. A total of 38 species of shrubs and climbers were found. Also, a total of 35 poisonous and 28 allergenic plant taxa are planted in the green spaces surrounding primary schools. The most common poisonous species found are <italic>Hedera helix</italic> and <italic>Taxus baccata</italic>, and <italic>Ilex aquifolium</italic>, a highly poisonous species, was also found. No moderately poisonous species have been found at all. As far as allergenic species are concerned, school environments are dominated by those that produce low and moderate levels of pollen concentration in the air. Species that produce high levels of pollen concentration (e.g., <italic>Betula pendula</italic>, <italic>Robinia pseudoacacia</italic>, etc.) are the least represented ones, while species that produce a very high concentration of pollen have not been recorded in any of the localities.</p>
</abstract>

The green infrastructure of Zagreb’s Lower Town is made up of row-planted trees and green spaces within blocks of buildings. All schools are surrounded by green spaces that have a positive impact on the environment. Although most green spaces contribute to improving the quality of life, they also contain toxic and allergenic species which are potentially hazardous, particularly to children. This paper aims to make an inventory of plant species in the environment of primary schools in Zagreb’s Lower Town district, and to determine the presence of toxic and allergenic species. The field research was conducted from March to the end of May 2021 at 7 primary school locations. 13 either annual or biennial plant families were catalogued. In total, 34 species of herbaceous perennials and geophytes, and 36 species of trees from 17 plant families were listed. A total of 38 species of shrubs and climbers were found. Also, a total of 35 poisonous and 28 allergenic plant taxa are planted in the green spaces surrounding primary schools. The most common poisonous species found are Hedera helix and Taxus baccata, and Ilex aquifolium, a highly poisonous species, was also found. No moderately poisonous species have been found at all. As far as allergenic species are concerned, school environments are dominated by those that produce low and moderate levels of pollen concentration in the air. Species that produce high levels of pollen concentration (e.g., Betula pendula, Robinia pseudoacacia, etc.) are the least represented ones, while species that produce a very high concentration of pollen have not been recorded in any of the localities.

Toxic and allergenic plant species in primary school yards of Zagreb’s Lower Town district

Acta Horticulturae et Regiotecturae

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The green infrastructure of Zagreb’s Lower Town is made up of row-planted trees and green spaces within blocks of buildings. All schools are surrounded by...

Toxic and allergenic plant species in primary school yards of Zagreb’s Lower Town district

Published Online: Jun 14, 2022

Page range: 99 - 106

Received: Jan 31, 2022

Accepted: Mar 07, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ahr-2022-0013

Keywords
primary schools, school gardens, ornamental plants, poisonous plants, allergies

© 2022 Mihael Kušen et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Toxic and allergenic plant species in primary school yards of Zagreb’s Lower Town district

Published Online: Jun 14, 2022

Page range: 99 - 106

Received: Jan 31, 2022

Accepted: Mar 07, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ahr-2022-0013

Keywordsprimary schools, school gardens, ornamental plants, poisonous plants, allergies

© 2022 Mihael Kušen et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
primary schools, school gardens, ornamental plants, poisonous plants, allergies