Looking for cedar-free places in Texas (Houston, Dallas: lease, college, allergy)

[JayKTX]

Are there places in Texas with mild weather that are cedar-fever free? We currently live on the Edwards Plateau and love it, except in the winter when the cedar pollen is out. North Texas is too cold and southeast Texas is too humid. The Rio Grande Valley doesn't suit us either. Texas is a big place. Does anyone have recommendations?

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by JayKTX

Are there places in Texas with mild weather that are cedar-fever free? We currently live on the Edwards Plateau and love it, except in the winter when the cedar pollen is out. North Texas is too cold and southeast Texas is too humid. The Rio Grande Valley doesn't suit us either. Texas is a big place. Does anyone have recommendations?

If by cedar, you mean juniper, there is no area in Texas that I know of that doesn't have SOME type of cedar/juniper. The only areas left that you didn't mention are central Texas-Hill Country and the Panhandle.

Central Texas is far worse, and the Panhandle also has some juniper.

It really bothers me, too...and I'm finding that the ashe juniper/cedar that was present in WT may not be here in NM, but another type is...and I'm allergic to all that I have come into contact with...ashe, redberry, mountain, et al...!

It's tough to get away from in Texas. I just live on Alavert.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by JayKTX

Are there places in Texas with mild weather that are cedar-fever free? We currently live on the Edwards Plateau and love it, except in the winter when the cedar pollen is out. North Texas is too cold and southeast Texas is too humid. The Rio Grande Valley doesn't suit us either. Texas is a big place. Does anyone have recommendations?

Do you mean Mountain Cedar? That's what plagues my family here in Dallas. I remember reading that it's a major problem in north and central Texas and that we're in one of the absolute worst areas in the country for allergy sufferers. I think the Austin area was ranked worse than Dallas in that regard. The only place I can think of where it might be better would be in far west Texas, one of my favorite places in the world but very remote!

[Kibby]

Originally Posted by JayKTX

Are there places in Texas with mild weather that are cedar-fever free? We currently live on the Edwards Plateau and love it, except in the winter when the cedar pollen is out. North Texas is too cold and southeast Texas is too humid. The Rio Grande Valley doesn't suit us either. Texas is a big place. Does anyone have recommendations?

First - you are in the absolute epicenter of the Mountain Cedar area, and that is exactly what you are allergic to. Despite its common name, the mountain cedar is actually a juniper (Juniperus ashei) and it is unique because it "blooms" from late November to March, during that period - those who are allergic to it (they number in the millions) are totally miserable. They actually call it Cedar Fever.

Imagine Texas with a large stripe right down the middle from the Red River to the Rio Grande - that's Cedar country. You could go west of that line or you could go east. I suggest you look east. The weather is very nice in East Texas - make sure that you get east of College Station. If you want to be in a "city" - think Tyler, if the country is more your thing - there are lots of choices in that area. I like the area around Edom/Ben Wheeler but there are lots of places. Winters are still mild and you won't have the humidity that you would find on the coast. You can get an idea of areas that will work for you by looking at the map. I've lived in your area and I now live in the DFW area. We get the Mountain Cedar (doesn't bother me but my husband always suffers) so I can tell you that it's certainly here AND that the winter here is very similar to the winters in the Austin area.
You can go somewhere just East of Austin - say in the Round Top area and that will bring you further south. You are correct - there are places in Texas to escape this scurge.

Distribution Map of Juniperus ashei USDA Forest Service, Publication No. 1146




Cedar Forcast, this is from Tulsa that occasionally has Texas Mountain Cedar blow up to their area.

Map giving some pollen counts in the Texas/South region.

Good article about Cedar Fever in Texas Monthly

**** Luck
K

[texdav]

I have a friend allergic to it and the only time he had problems;they were bad;was when he went to the hill country in the spring to turket hunt.On our hunting lease they were the most common tree besides mesquite.

[tstone]

We have ashe juniper pollen in the Houston area in January, but it's not nearly as extreme. Those trees aren't here, but there are red junipers which look similar. As you can see they are all over the eastern half of the state.

Nearctica - Native Conifers of North America - Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) (http://www.nearctica.com/trees/conifer/juniper/Jvirgin.htm - broken link)

And then along the coast, there's the ''coast juniper.'' It is said if you're severely allergic to ashe juniper, you'll likely have trouble with the others. So East Texas might be somewhat bothersome.

[JayKTX]

I appreciate all the good information by those of you who have responded and I will consider it all.

I should have said I live in the TX Hill Country since not everyone knows the Edwards Plateau. I actually live between Kerrville and Fredericksburg, a major center of Mountain Cedar / Ash Juniper. "Cedar fever" is rampant here and severe. We live in a high valley surrounded by green hills, the green coming from the juniper. It's a beautiful place full of wonder BUT my last two winters have been so bad my husband is saying "move." We're retired so I suggested first we just try traveling in the winter months.

Thank you to those we shared what they know.

[bluescreen73]

If you settle on East Texas make sure you're not trading one allergy for another. Pine tree pollen is also an allergen.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by JayKTX

I appreciate all the good information by those of you who have responded and I will consider it all.

I should have said I live in the TX Hill Country since not everyone knows the Edwards Plateau. I actually live between Kerrville and Fredericksburg, a major center of Mountain Cedar / Ash Juniper. "Cedar fever" is rampant here and severe. We live in a high valley surrounded by green hills, the green coming from the juniper. It's a beautiful place full of wonder BUT my last two winters have been so bad my husband is saying "move." We're retired so I suggested first we just try traveling in the winter months.

Thank you to those we shared what they know.

Actually, if you live between Kerrville and Fredericksburg, you are NOT within the Edwards Plateau, which extends on out to West Texas.

LINK

The Edwards Plateau Ecological Region of Texas extends in the southwestern regions of Northcentral Texas and includes portions of Concho, Tom Green, Irion, Sterling, Glasscock, Reagan, and Irion counties and an separate area to the north in Coke, Taylor, and Nolan counties.

Kerrville (Kerr County) and Fredericksburg (Gillespie) are not included.

At any rate, you won't be able to easily escape some type of cedar/juniper.

[txstate]

The Coast and East Texas