Mountain Juniper Tree
Allergy Facts, Symptoms, and Treatment

Mountain junipers are part of the genus Juniperus, which comprises roughly 60 to 70 species of aromatic evergreen trees and shrubs that are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere.1 Often called cedars, species from the Juniperus genus are wind pollinated and include mountain cedar, cedar juniper, and juniper redberry.2,3 Research has shown that mountain cedar has significant allergenic properties, placing it in the same allergenic category as ragweed, which is one of the most allergenic pollen types.2

Where are mountain juniper trees found?

Junipers are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere.1

Prepare for your next visit with your healthcare provider. 

Fill out our symptom tracker

Learn about specific IgE allergy testing options.

Read more

Are there other allergens I could be sensitized to?*

Many patients with mountain juniper tree allergy can experience symptoms when exposed to other allergens such as tree, weed, or grass pollens, making it difficult to determine which pollen is causing the symptoms, especially when pollen seasons are overlapping. This is called cross-reactivity and occurs when your body's immune system identifies the proteins, or components, in different substances as being structurally similar or biologically related, thus triggering a response. Other respiratory allergens that may cause reactions associated with mountain juniper pollen allergy are: junipers, cypresses, red cedar, Japanese cedar, and limited pines and other weed, tree, and grass pollens.9,10

*These products may not be approved for clinical use in your country. Please work with your healthcare provider to understand availability.

How do I manage my allergy?

The management of allergic rhinitis includes avoidance of relevant allergens, symptomatic treatment, and allergen immunotherapy.6,7,8

  • Check local pollen counts daily and limit time outside when tree-pollen counts are high. Rain helps clear pollen from the air, so the best time to go outside is after a good rain.
  • Delegate outdoor chores whenever possible and wear a pollen mask if you must do outside tasks.
  • Keep windows closed and use air conditioning instead.
  • Wash bedding at least once a week in hot, soapy water.
  • Wash your clothes after outdoor activities and dry all clothes in a dryer as opposed to line drying outdoors.
  • Bathe and wash your hair every day before bedtime to keep pollen out of your bed.
  • Wipe off any pets to remove pollen before letting them into your home.
  • Ensure everyone removes their shoes before entering your home.
  • Use certified asthma and allergy air filters.
  • Pharmacological treatment, including antihistamines, corticosteroids, decongestants, and saline douches.
  • Allergen immunotherapy as directed by your healthcare provider.

Looking for more allergy info and management tips?

Visit the Living with Allergies section
Download PDF

Mountain Juniper Allergen Facts, Symptoms, and Treatment

Common Symptoms

Mountain juniper tree allergy symptoms can be similar to many other pollen allergies and may include:4,6

  • Sneezing
  • Nasal congestion
  • Runny nose
  • Watery eyes
  • Itchy throat and eyes
  • Wheezing

If you're sensitized to mountain juniper trees and have asthma, tree pollen may trigger or worsen asthma symptoms, such as coughing and wheezing.4,6

How do I know if I'm allergic?*

Together with your symptom history, skin-prick testing or specific IgE blood testing can help determine if you are sensitized to a particular allergen. If you are diagnosed with an allergy, your healthcare provider will work with you to create a management plan.

*These products may not be approved for clinical use in your country. Please work with your healthcare provider to understand availability.

Pollen Season

While tree pollen is common in the spring, some junipers pollinate in the spring while others such as the mountain cedar pollinate between November and March.2,4,5

  1. Encyclopedia Britannica [Internet]. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Inc.; 2020 Feb 6. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/plant/juniper.
  2. Pollen.com [Internet]. Plymouth Meeting, PA: IQVIA Inc.; 2020. Available from: https://www.pollen.com/research/genus/juniperus.
  3. Scher, JS. U.S. Department of Agriculture [Internet]. |place unknown|U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory; 2002. Available from: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/junsco/all.html.
  4. American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology [Internet]. Arlington Heights, IL: American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; 2014 [2018 Apr 23]. Available from: https://acaai.org/allergies/types/pollen-allergy.
  5. Ramirez DA. The natural history of mountain cedar pollinosis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1984 Jan;73(1 Pt 1):88-93.
  6. Roberts, Graham & Xatzipsalti, M & Borrego, Luis & Custovic, Adnan & Halken, Susanne & Hellings, Peter & Papadopoulos, Nikolaos & Rotiroti, G & Scadding, Glenis & Timmermans, Frans & Valovirta, Erkka. (2013). Paediatric rhinitis: Position paper of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Allergy. 68. 10.1111/all.12235.
  7. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America [Internet]. Arlington, VA: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America; 2019 Apr 9. Available from: https://community.aafa.org/blog/tips-for-preventing-allergic-reactions-to-tree-and-s-pollen.
  8. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Rochester, MN: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2020 Apr 16. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hay-fever/in-depth/seasonal-allergies/art-20048343.
  9. Matricardi PM, Kleine-Tebbe J, Hoffmann HJ, Valenta R, Hilger C, Hofmaier S, Aalberse RC, Agache I, Asero R, Ballmer-Weber B, Barber D, Beyer K, Biedermann T, Bilò MB, Blank S, Bohle B, Bosshard PP, Breiteneder H, Brough HA, Caraballo L, Caubet JC, Crameri R, Davies JM, Douladiris N, Ebisawa M, EIgenmann PA, Fernandez-Rivas M, Ferreira F, Gadermaier G, Glatz M, Hamilton RG, Hawranek T, Hellings P, Hoffmann-Sommergruber K, Jakob T, Jappe U, Jutel M, Kamath SD, Knol EF, Korosec P, Kuehn A, Lack G, Lopata AL, Mäkelä M, Morisset M, Niederberger V, Nowak-W?grzyn AH, Papadopoulos NG, Pastorello EA, Pauli G, Platts-Mills T, Posa D, Poulsen LK, Raulf M, Sastre J, Scala E, Schmid JM, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, van Hage M, van Ree R, Vieths S, Weber R, Wickman M, Muraro A, Ollert M. EAACI Molecular Allergology User's Guide. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2016 May;27 Suppl 23:1-250. doi: 10.1111/pai.12563. PMID: 27288833.
  10. Weber RW.  Patterns of pollen cross-allergenicity. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;112:229-39.
Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer
© Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. All Rights Reserved.