Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
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 feverANSWER:
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.
More General Botany Questions
Differences in Plant Growth
November 28, 2010 - How do plants grow differently?
view the full question and answer
Can foxglove poison be transmitted to the soil and taken up by another plant
May 29, 2012 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants,
Recently I discovered a Foxglove that had come up after being planted 2 or 3 yrs ago. Next to it I have some medicinal Feverfew growing. (They were so close together I suspec...
view the full question and answer
Native vs Non-native Insect Host Plants
March 14, 2013 - My understanding of a host plant is that it is a plant that an insect will lay its eggs on. Is this correct? If this is so then can a cultivar be a host plant for the same insect? I have read Mr. Doug...
view the full question and answer
Cold hardiness zones for plants from Jackson MS
October 02, 2010 - How to search the plant database by cold-hardiness zone?
Is it possible to do combination search by zone (not just state?)
With the information provided with plant, I do not see the zone listed.
Ma...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on science projects
October 24, 2005 - Hello, i am a 6th grade student at a middle school in GA. I am doing a science project and my question is, "Does music affect plant growth?"
Is there a plant that would work best for me to experiment...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |