Scrub Forests Zone 8

Characterized by deep acid sand with virtually no organic matter content except for surface litter, the soils are infertile and extremely well-drained, being low in moisture retention. Under natural conditions, high intensity fires occur at 20-80 year intervals. Plants require good drainage and suffer from flooding and wet or heavy soils. They are drought and frost resistant and can endure light shade and slight salt exposure. Scrub grades frequently into Sandhill in North Florida, and also merges into Gulf coast Beach/Dune. Sand Pine Scrub has a canopy of Pinus clausa; when no pines are present, the scrub community can be viewed as a dwarf forest, where plants which are normally understory or shrubs are the tallest woody plants and function as canopy.