In Barcelona, the reign of banana trees is coming to an end

The City Council confirms that it will halve the banana tree population over the next decade to combat allergies and improve urban biodiversity. David León Himelfarb discusses latest developments in an article on the Barcelona Secreta website.

Farewell to Barcelona’s banana trees: the city will remove 24,000 trees over the next decade to combat yellow pollen

There are Barcelona traditions we embrace with pride, like vermouth in the sun or the endless lines on Sant Jordi, and then there are others that, honestly, we’d rather wipe off the map. Among the latter, the gold medal undoubtedly goes to that layer of yellow fluff that every spring decides to colonize our lungs, balconies, and eyes. We’re talking about the fruit of the banana tree, that ubiquitous neighbor which, although it provides enviable shade in the middle of August, has become public enemy number one for anyone with a sensitive nose in the Catalan capital.

If you’re one of those who heads out in April with your survival kit—handkerchiefs, sunglasses, and antihistamines— we’ve got some news that’s going to give you a breather, literally.

A Necessary Change of Scenery

The city has decided it is time to diversify its plant “portfolio.” Currently, banana trees are the undisputed kings of Barcelona’s streets, accounting for nearly 27% of all the trees we see when walking through the Eixample or Sant Martí. However, the city council remains steadfast in its plan to reduce this figure to 12% over the next ten years. The ultimate goal is for no single species to exceed 15% of the total tree population, seeking a balance that makes Barcelona a less monotonous place and, above all, less irritating to the nasal passages.

This transformation won’t happen overnight with chainsaws swinging left and right, but will follow a natural and gradual process. As the oldest trees reach the end of their life cycle or when new street renovations are carried out, the banana trees will gradually cede their throne to other species such as the hackberry, the tipuana, or the melia, which are already gaining ground in the latest municipal surveys.

This substitution strategy is already visible in recent major transformations of the city. In areas such as the renovated Via Laietana or the new green corridors of the Eixample, the commitment to biodiversity is a priority, replacing the former monoculture with species that require less water and do not saturate the air with allergens during the flowering months, allowing the city to better adapt to prolonged droughts.

The Legacy of the Cerdà Plan

To understand why our streets look like an extension of a forest of banana trees, we have to travel back in time, specifically to the era when Ildefons Cerdà was designing his magical grid. At that time, this species was chosen for purely pragmatic reasons: they were cheap, grew quickly, and provided spectacular shade for the era. It was a trend coming from Paris, and Barcelona didn’t want to be left behind, planting them en masse without foreseeing that, decades later, the Aerobiological Network of Catalonia would issue red alerts for “exceptional” pollen levels.

But beyond public health, there is an urban resilience factor that concerns experts. According to Barcelona’s Tree Master Plan, relying so heavily on a single species is like rolling out the red carpet for pests. If a fungus or insect were to specifically target the plane tree, the city would be left practically without shade overnight. By introducing a greater variety of trees, Barcelona is better preparing for the challenges of climate change, ensuring that if one species suffers, the rest can continue to keep the city cool and green. So, although the plane tree won’t disappear entirely, it will soon cease to be that troublesome protagonist that makes us cry—from allergies—every spring.

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