Trees Found In Tropical Hardwood Hammocks

Mahogany hammock trail an accessible tropical hardwood hammock in everglades national park.

Trees found in tropical hardwood hammocks.

Tropical hardwood hammocks are closed canopy forests dominated by a diverse assemblage of evergreen and semi deciduous tree and shrub species mostly of west indian origin. Temperate species such as live oak red maple virginia creeper and hackberry may also be found within this habitat. Other tropical species may include mahogany mastic and royal palm. Tropical hardwood hammocks are found along both coasts of south florida as well as throughout the everglades and florida keys.

Extremely rare plants like lignum vitae mahogany thatch palms and manchineel may also be found in these hammocks in the florida keys. Common tropical plant species found within the hammocks of ten thousand islands national wildlife refuge include gumbo limbo strangler fig and ironwoods. In the deeper sloughs and marshes the seasonal flow of water helps give these hammocks a distinct aerial teardrop shape. Other trees commonly found in mesic hammocks include southern magnolia pignut hickory water oak and laurel oak.

Live oak and cabbage palm are also sometimes found within this community. In the northern portion of the everglades hammocks are dominated by trees of temperate origin including the live oak quercus virginiana and the hackberry celtis laevigata. Some of those trees are less frequent or absent in southern florida from about lake okeechobee south where tropical species such as gumbo limbo and satinleaf may be found. To walk into a hardwood hammock is to walk through a shady tropical forest.

Characteristic tropical plants include strangler fig gumbo limbo ironwoods and poisonwood. The tropical hardwood hammock is an ecosystem consisting of broad leafed trees shrubs and vines nearly all of which are native to the west indies with live oak quercus virginiana being the only significant temperate species. Hammocks can be found nestled in most all other everglades ecosystems. A hardwood hammock is a habitat that is found on higher elevations making it like the pinelands a dry habitat.

Hardwoods are broad leaved trees that grow well in the everglades.