Cedar Fever: Winter Allergy Symptoms and Relief
Sorry seasonal allergy sufferers, winter might be a bad time of year for you if you are prone to cedar fever. See what causes it and how to get relief naturally.
Quick Reference: Cedar Fever
- What it is: a winter pollen allergy to the Ashe juniper, or Mountain cedar, not an infection and not a true fever.
- When: December to March, with the heaviest pollen from mid-December through February.
- Where: worst in central Texas, with Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri also hit. Pollen can travel hundreds of miles on the wind.
- Symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, coughing, headache, sinus congestion, and body aches.
- Relief: filter and purify indoor air, keep pollen outside, rinse it off your skin and pets, and support your immune system.
If you suffer from pollen allergies, winter may be your favorite season of the year. But not if you live in central Texas. Certain juniper trees and other evergreens release their irritating pollen in winter rather than spring, which makes the cold months the worst season for an affliction known as “cedar fever.” If you are sneezing and wheezing in January the way most folks do in June, this is likely why.
Cedar Fever Is Real
Like other pollen allergies, cedar fever is an overreaction of the immune system to the very allergenic pollen released by the Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei), known commonly as Mountain cedar, from December to March. People in central Texas are most prone to cedar fever because of the dense population of Mountain cedar, but those in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri may also be susceptible. To make matters worse, the pollen is known to hitch a ride on winds and travel hundreds of miles into areas without cedar or juniper trees. So if you find yourself sneezing and wheezing like it is early June, it could be cedar fever.
Why Mountain Cedar Pollinates in Winter
Most trees wait for spring to pollinate, so why does Mountain cedar work against the calendar? The answer is in the tree’s own clock. Ashe juniper trees come in male and female forms, and it is the male trees that shed pollen. They hold that pollen through the fall and let it loose in the dead of winter, usually after a cold front rolls through with a drop in temperature, a shift in the wind, and low humidity behind it. On a dry, breezy day you can watch a male tree release a visible brown haze, and folks in the Texas Hill Country really do call these “pollen clouds.”
Because the trigger is weather rather than a set date, cedar fever season shifts a little each year with the pattern of winter fronts. Watching the cold fronts on a long-range weather forecast can give allergy sufferers a rough heads-up for the bad-air days ahead. Pollen allergies of this kind are a form of what doctors call hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, and the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus has a plain-English rundown of how the reaction works and what eases it.
Where Cedar Fever Hits Hardest
Cedar fever is a regional story. It is centered on the Texas Hill Country, but the pollen does not stay put. Here is a rough map of where and when it tends to strike.
| Area | Severity | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Hill Country, west and north of Austin and San Antonio | The worst in the country | December into February, peaking in January |
| Central Texas more broadly | Severe | December to February |
| North and west Texas | Moderate | January into February |
| Oklahoma and southern Kansas | Moderate, from eastern redcedar | Later, often February into March |
| Southwest, New Mexico and Arizona | Mild to moderate, from local juniper species | Varies with elevation |
| Elsewhere in the US | Juniper pollen occurs, but rarely at these levels | Spring, and usually mild |
What Are the Symptoms of Cedar Fever?
Despite its name, cedar fever does not cause an actual fever. Typical symptoms include runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, headache, sinus congestion, and body aches, all those miserable feelings we know from peak spring allergy season. Because cedar fever does not run a true temperature, a reading of 101 degrees F, or a loss of your sense of taste or smell, points to something else such as a cold, the flu, or another infection. If that happens, contact your doctor.
Cedar Fever or a Winter Cold?
In the thick of winter it is easy to mix up cedar fever with a common cold, since both bring a runny nose and a scratchy throat. A few tells help you sort them out. Allergy mucus tends to run clear and thin, while a cold often brings thicker, colored discharge. Itchy, watery eyes point to allergies, not a cold. Cedar fever also lingers for as long as the pollen is flying and tends to get worse on dry, windy days after a front, while a cold usually runs its course in a week to ten days. And again, a real fever means it is not cedar fever.
12 Ways to Manage Cedar Fever Symptoms
If you are prone to pollen allergies, a proactive approach is the best way to deal with cedar fever. The following 12 strategies may help reduce your exposure to tree pollen and ease cedar fever and other allergy symptoms.
- Filter. Install a premium, hospital-grade high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to remove bacteria, mold, and other allergens and improve indoor air quality. Change heating and air conditioning filters as often as recommended.
- Vacuum. Your vacuum cleaner should also be equipped with a HEPA filter, and you should vacuum daily.
- Break out the white vinegar. Spray air filters, vents, and returns with white vinegar and wipe with a clean cloth periodically to remove pollen and other allergens.
- Keep doors and windows closed at home and when driving to reduce exposure to pollen.
- Wipe down surfaces. Pollen settles indoors on your furniture and other surfaces, so wipe them often with a damp cloth to remove it.
- …and pets. Wipe pets with a damp towel to remove pollen when they come indoors.
- Purify the air. Consider installing a portable air purifier to improve indoor air quality.
- Wash it away. After spending time outdoors in winter near these pollinating trees, shower and change clothes to remove any residue.
- Go online. Before traveling, or spending time outdoors, check your local pollen forecast for tree pollen levels.
- Avoid line-drying clothes during times when pollen counts are high.
- Strengthen your immune system naturally with vitamin C, probiotics, garlic, quercetin, and raw, local honey.
- Ask your doctor to recommend herbs, essential oils, supplement dosages, and other natural ways to bolster immune health.
Be sure to browse our website for more natural remedies for relief of seasonal allergies and other common ailments.
Cedar Fever: Frequently Asked Questions
What is cedar fever?
Cedar fever is a seasonal pollen allergy to the Ashe juniper, or Mountain cedar, that flares from December to March. It is not an infection and does not cause a true fever. It brings the same misery as spring allergies, including sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes.
Why does cedar fever happen in winter?
Male Ashe juniper trees release their pollen in the dead of winter rather than in spring, usually after a cold front passes through with a drop in temperature, a wind shift, and low humidity. On dry, breezy days the trees can send up visible “pollen clouds,” which is why symptoms often spike behind a front.
Where is cedar fever the worst?
Central Texas, and the Hill Country in particular, gets it worst because of the dense stands of Mountain cedar. Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri see it too, largely from eastern redcedar. Because the pollen can travel hundreds of miles on the wind, symptoms can appear far from any cedar tree.
What are the symptoms of cedar fever?
Common symptoms include a runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, headache, sinus congestion, and body aches. Cedar fever does not cause a true fever, so a temperature of 101 degrees F, or a loss of taste or smell, points to a cold, the flu, or another infection, and you should contact your doctor.
How can I tell cedar fever from a cold?
Allergy mucus tends to be clear and thin, while a cold often brings thicker, colored discharge. Itchy, watery eyes lean toward allergies. Cedar fever also lasts as long as the pollen is flying and worsens on dry, windy days, while a cold usually clears within a week to ten days. A real fever means it is not cedar fever.
How do I get relief from cedar fever naturally?
Keep pollen out of the house with HEPA filters, a HEPA vacuum, and a portable air purifier, and keep doors and windows closed. Shower and change clothes after being outdoors, wipe down surfaces and pets, and check your local pollen forecast. Supporting your immune system with vitamin C, probiotics, garlic, quercetin, and raw, local honey may also help.
Deborah Tukua
Deborah Tukua is a natural living, healthy lifestyle writer and author of 7 non-fiction books, including Pearls of Garden Wisdom: Time-Saving Tips and Techniques from a Country Home, Pearls of Country Wisdom: Hints from a Small Town on Keeping Garden and Home, and Naturally Sweet Blender Treats. Tukua has been a writer for the Farmers' Almanac since 2004.
- Deborah Tukua
- Deborah Tukua
- Deborah Tukua
- Deborah Tukua
I got hit with a double whammy, cedar fever And Covid. at same time!
Oh no! Carl, we’re sending our best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Wow! I grew up in the country and the Farmers Almanac was our second bible for everyday. Can’t believe I’m just now hearing about this. My allergies have kicked in the last few winter’s and I couldn’t figure out why. A million thanks for sharing this with us!
Check out Cedar Pollen Explosion on YouTube. There are several, but this has some good med info too. Sometimes it comes from the Hill Country in Texas, and sometimes from the Northwest U.S., depending on the wind.
https://youtu.be/3sCX0tlQKOw