CENTRAL TEXAS — January is a part of some Central Texans least favorite time of year, and that is cedar season.
This time of year the cedar pollen spikes, which leaves many of us with ichy eyes, sneezing and reaching for the allergy medication.
So what is the history of these cedar trees? Do they even belong here and are there more here now than in the past?
The answer is yes, the cedar trees do belong here. In an article by reportingtexas.com, Ecologist Elizabeth McGreevy said, "They've been here since the last Ice Age. They're native, much more than we are."
McGreevy went on in the article to say overgrazing the ranges by cattle lead to young cedar trees to replace much of the grassland, as many cedar seeds are actually spread by animals after being eaten and passing through the digestion process.
RELATED:
Now, while there isn't as much cattle grazing in the Hill Country as there may have been in the past, cedar trees are in abundance.
There are so many cedar trees that it can make for an outstanding view this time of year. Garner State Park made a post on Monday showing how bad the cedar pollen is right now, making it look like the park is on fire.
A similar view was seen in Kerr County, with this video posted by the Kerr County Sheriff's Office.
An article by Texas A&M Agrilife Extension stated that the trees were historically believed to have been restricted to rocky outcrops and rocky, north-facing slopes where they were protected from intense grass fires. Now, with the prevention of naturally occurring fires and less dry vegetation for the fires, cedar trees have been able to become widespread.
So the answer is yes, and there are more here now than there may have been in the past, which is the reason why you can't stop sneezing and grabbing the tissues.
Just know, these trees have been in the area for thousands of years and they aren't going anywhere, anytime soon, so keep the allergy medicine nearby.