Actually, mountain cedar is really ashe juniper and is NOT native to central Texas. It is found along limestone outcrops of plateaus and mountains and also in oak-hickory forests.
The range is from the Ozark Mts of MO, AR and NE. OK and in southern OK in Arbuckle Mts, central TX, including Edwards Plateau and also into NE Mexico.
East of Austin in the flatter areas, the red cedar (for its deep red heart wood) is native.
Whew. Glad to hear this. I didn’t think it was the same but had to ask, just in case. If you all have to go through such lack of rain, hope, at least they die off. I really will say a prayer for rain. That has to be beyond frustrating.