The well-drained sandy soil makes this the perfect location for growing citrus. Approximately 85 percent of the land on the Ridge is used for citrus cultivation. The remaining tracts of land form pockets of natural habitat shaped by factors such as moisture levels and elevation.
In the dry uplands, sandhills support open pinelands. Longleaf pines growing here above the water table once covered much of the state.
Up on the sandy dunes lies the “Florida scrub.” In spite of the nearly 50 inches of rain per year that falls on The Ridge, Florida scrub areas are dry and desert-like. The evergreens that grow randomly in the sand form a habitat for many plant and animal species.
The Ridge’s seasonally moist lands are made up of flatwood areas and seasonal ponds. The flatwoods are distinguished by areas of low, flat topography. Plants in these areas are often submerged during rainy seasons and deprived of moisture during long dry spells.
Seasonal ponds are small depressions that fill with water during wet seasons. They are important sources of food and water for many mammals and birds in the dry uplands areas.
At the base of The Ridge’s slopes stand evergreen hardwoods called bayheads. These trees thrive on the nutrient-rich soil formed by the area around the seepage slopes.
There are a number of bodies of water in The Ridge. Clear-water sinkhole lakes occur in deep depressions in the limestone. Tea-colored creeks, laden with organic matter, create a home for many types of fish, reptiles, and aquatic insects.
