Home
Swamps
Scrub
Sandhills
Bottomland  
 Hardwoods
Upland  
 Hardwoods
Tropical 
  Hammocks
Mangrove
Flatwoods
Upland Hardwoods

Upland Hardwoods:

This forest is one of the most diverse in the state, because it covers a variety of climates, soils, and moisture conditions.  The forest will vary in tree species from north to south Florida, eventually blending into the tropical hammock forest.  They even extend into the Appalachian mountains.  These forests are usually found in patches, surrounded by flatwoods and sandhill forests.  These soils have more clay and soil nutrients than other forests, and therefore retain more soil moisture.  Because many different tree and plant species prefer these forests, there is no one dominant tree that covers this ecosystem.  Excellent trails through hardwood forests and hammocks are available in Florida Caverns State Park, Dead Lakes State Recreation Area, Mike Roess Goldhead Branch State Park, Torreya State Park, Tosohatchee State Reserve, Faver-Dykes State Park, Silver River State Park, San Felasco Hammock State Preserve, Falling Waters State Recreation Area, Wakulla Springs State Park, and Highlands Hammock State Park. 

Dominant Trees:

  • Laurel oak
  • Pignut hickory
  • Southern magnolia
  • Sweetgum

Companion Plants:

  • Blackberry
  • Bracken fern
  • Coral bean
  • Deerberry
  • Low panicums
  • Poison ivy
  • Resurrection fern
  • Smilax
  • Spanish moss

Associated Plants:

Trees:

  • American basswood
  • American beech
  • American holly
  • Black cherry
  • Bluff oak
  • Cabbage palm
  • Carolina laurelcherry
  • Eastern redcedar
  • Flowering dogwood
  • Hophornbeam
  • Live oak
  • Loblolly pine
  • Pecan hickory
  • Shumard oak
  • Southern red oak
  • Spruce pine
  • White ash
  • Winged elm
  • Yaupon holly

 

[Home] [Ecosystems] [Trees & Plants] [Forest Health] [Wildlife] [Resources]