Tropical Hardwood Hammock Plants

These plants may be found in other tropical climates like the west indies but in the united states they only occur in the tropical hardwood hammocks of south florida.

Tropical hardwood hammock plants.

To walk into a hardwood hammock is to walk through a shady tropical forest. Other tropical species may include mahogany mastic and royal palm. Temperate species such as live oak red maple virginia creeper and hackberry may also be found within this habitat. Hardwoods are broad leaved trees that grow well in the everglades.

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. Tropical hardwood hammocks provide critical habitat for a number of plants whose northernmost portions of ranges extend into south florida. Their branches and leaves crisscross so much they create a canopy or cover above your head. Tropical hardwood hammocks are found in south florida or the everglades with large concentrations on the miami rock ridge in the florida keys along the northern shores of florida bay and in the pinecrest region of the big cypress swamp.

Common tropical plant species found within the hammocks of ten thousand islands national wildlife refuge include gumbo limbo strangler fig and ironwoods.