Texas A&M Forest Service experts explain why pollen released by the Ashe juniper, commonly known as mountain cedar, triggers allergy symptoms this time of year.
Cedar fever season is upon us once again, complete with runny noses, itchy eyes and general misery. But what exactly is cedar fever, and why is it so insufferable this time of year?
To start, cedar fever isn’t a flu or a virus – it is an allergic reaction to the pollen released by mountain cedar trees. In Texas, the predominant species of mountain cedar is the Ashe juniper.
“Cedar fever is the worst west of I-35, where you have primarily juniper mixed in with oaks and some other species,” said Jonathan Motsinger, Texas A&M Forest Service Central Texas Operations department head. “And because all of those junipers are producing pollen at the same time, you’re going to get a higher concentration of pollen in the air.”
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