Cedar—more accurately called juniper—can be a real headache to deal with. It’s not just a scraggly-looking tree; it’s an aggressive woody plant that loves to spread. Around here in Texas, and in many other places too, it’s known for taking over pastures if left alone. It creeps in fast, crowding out the grasses your livestock need. Before you know it, your beautiful open pasture starts to look more like a forest—and not the kind that’s doing you any favors.
What makes cedar even more of a problem is how thirsty it is. These trees can pull a shocking amount of water out of the ground. I’ve even heard stories—like one rancher I know—of someone who saw an old spring in his place start flowing again after he cleared out a bunch of cedars. That tells you just how much water they hog. If you’re in a dry area or dealing with low rainfall, having too much cedar around can worsen your water problems.
The bad news is that getting rid of cedar isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s not like mowing the lawn where you cut it once, and you’re good. Cedar can be stubborn, and it usually takes multiple treatments or removal efforts to really make a dent. But the good news is that it can be controlled—it just takes a little planning, some persistence, and the right tools for the job. Stick with it, and your pastures (and water supply) will thank you.
Know Your Enemy: Redberry vs. Blueberry Cedar
Even though folks lump all cedars together, there are quite a few different species out there. Here in Texas—mainly west of I-35—the two most common ones you’ll run into are Redberry and Blueberry cedar. They may look similar at a glance, but they’ve got some key differences that matter when it comes to getting rid of them. Knowing which one you’re dealing with is the first step to taking control of your land.
The reason it’s so important to tell them apart is because each type responds differently to control methods. What works on one might not do much to the other—or worse, it could be a waste of your time and money. For example, some cedars will grow right back if you just cut them down, while others won’t. So before you break out the chainsaw or start mixing up chemicals, it’s worth taking a few minutes to correctly ID the plant. It’ll save you many headaches down the line.
🌱 Redberry Cedar
- Produces red or copper-colored berries
- Leaves have a yellowish-green color with specks of white wax
- Grows in clumps with several stems from the base (basal sprouting)
- Common in West, West-Central, and North-West Texas
🌱 Blueberry Cedar (Ashe Juniper)
- Produces blue-colored berries
- Also, a basal-sprouting plant
- Not a re-sprouter—cut it down, and it stays down
- It is found mainly in Central and South Texas, though it pops up further west, too
Three Ways to Fight Back
Once you’ve figured out which type of cedar you’re dealing with—Redberry or Blueberry—you can start making a game plan to get it under control. Not all cedars react the same way to treatment, so having the right approach for the right plant makes a big difference. You don’t want to waste time or money on a method that’s not going to work. Trust me, cedar can be stubborn, so going in with a solid plan sets you up for success.
Generally, folks tackle cedar control in three main ways: spraying, mechanical removal, and controlled burning. Each method has its pros and cons depending on the size of the cedars, how many you’ve got, and what kind of equipment or help you can access. Some methods are better for small patches, while others are best for large, overgrown areas. The key is choosing the one that fits your land, your budget, and your time.
Spraying: Best for Smaller Plants
Spraying is a popular and often effective way to control both redberry and blueberry cedar, especially when the plants are still tiny—ideally under 3 feet tall. At that size, the spray can fully coat the plant without needing many chemicals, saving you both time and money. You can spray taller cedars, but it starts getting expensive fast, and the results aren’t always worth the cost. Think of it like painting a wall—you want a nice, even coat without wasting a whole bucket of paint.
Now, depending on your setup and the size of the cedar, you’ll need to choose between two spray methods: leaf spray or spot spray. The technique you pick determines what kind of chemical you’ll use. Leaf spraying involves coating the plant’s foliage directly, while spot spraying means applying the chemical to the soil near the base of the plant. Both have their place, but the key is using the right product in the right way to get the job done efficiently.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Spraying Cedar
👍 Pros:
- Effective on plants under 3 feet
- Targets specific plants without disturbing others
- This can be done with basic equipment
👎 Cons:
- Less effective (and more costly) on taller cedars
- Requires correct chemical and application method
- Some products may need a pesticide applicator license
Leaf Spray Method
Tordon 22K is the recommended product for the leaf spray method. As the name implies, spray all the leaves to the point of runoff to be the most effective.
Always follow the mixing directions on the container. Add a surfactant or dishwashing liquid to the spray mix to ensure a thorough coating. Adding a little dye to the mix is a good idea so you can quickly identify which leaves you have sprayed.
A word of warning: purchasing and using Tordon 22K will require a Pesticide Applicator License from the Texas Department of Agriculture or in which state you reside.
Spot Spray Method
Velpar L is recommended for the soil spot spray method to control cedar. This chemical does not require mixing and can be used by attaching a delivery handgun or syringe directly to the container.
You will apply the chemical to the soil surface midway between the cedar stems and the edge of the canopy. The directions say to use 2ml of the product for every 3ft plant height. It requires more than a single 2ml dose, and then you will need to space them out evenly around the plant.
Drawback:
If you have a large area that needs treatment, these methods can become expensive and time-consuming. Also, with any chemical treatment, you risk killing any plants you may want to keep. If you apply too much, you risk contaminating the water supply.
Mechanical: Bulldozers, Chainsaws & Elbow Grease
This method is self-explanatory. It involves using equipment such as a dozer to remove the cedars from the area.
Using a dozer can be more feasible if you try clearing out a large area, but it can get a bit pricey. Also, if you are trying to get rid of redberry cedars, you will need to ensure that the entire plant, roots and all, have been removed, or the plant will return.
Another way to use this method is to use a chainsaw and cut the trunks flush with the ground. And like the spray method, this can get expensive and time-consuming if you must clear out a large area. It would help if you also treated redberries, or the plant will grow back.
Drawback:
As we all know, paying for dozer work without the equipment can get expensive. One way to reduce the cost is to break the area into smaller tracts. Then, you will clear only one parcel at a time.
As I mentioned, using a chainsaw or another tool can be cheaper. However, it can become very labor-intensive if the area is large. Before deciding on this method, consider just how much space you want to work on. Knowing the space size will help you decide which option is best for your time and budget.
Just removing the trunks will kill the blueberry cedar. However, you must apply a chemical to the stump to kill the redberry ones.
Fire: Nature’s Original Brush Control
Using controlled burning to control cedar and mesquite has become a viable management option. After all, fire is one of the ways that nature initially used to keep cedars from overpopulating.
With adequate fuel and suitable conditions, fire will control most cedars less than 6ft tall. If you want to learn more about using controlled burning, check out one of my previous articles, “The Dummies’ Guide to Prescribed Burning.”
Drawback:
Many cedars have grown so large that they need more than prescribed burning. Burning will not work if you have many of them over 6ft.
It would be best to be the most effective if you did not graze the particular pasture for at least a year, for an adequate amount of fuel can be built up. If the growth is too thick, you must burn it more than once. Burning more than once is so the brush will open up enough for the fire to get in there.
Also, it is a good idea, not to mention required by law, to contract this job out to a licensed professional to do a prescribed burn. Doing it can help you liability-wise in case something turns out wrong.
The Texas AgriLife Extension service offers a program, Brush Busters, that properly provides more information on controlling different species, not just cedar.
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