Native Plants

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Friday - February 20, 2009

From: Fate, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: General Botany
Title: What do cedars do to cause cedar fever?
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

What do the native cedars in Fate Tx do in the winter that causes allergies to get really bad that they have named it cedar fever

ANSWER:

The native cedars, which aren't really cedars at all but Juniperus ashei (Ashe's juniper), are just doing what all plants and animals are wired to do, which is reproduce. This article from Texas Monthly Ranch Cedar Fever explains it much better than we can. We don't know if it will make you feel any better, but Fate, TX is not the only place this occurs. You share your discomfort with just about everyone within wind range of Central Texas, where the Ashe juniper thrives.