Maritime Hammock
The maritime hammock establishes itself on older inland dunes stable enough to support the growth of trees. This is why it is sometimes referred to as the hardwood hammock. It is the third environment from the coast after the primary dunes and the coastal strand. The plants that reside here must endure salt spray carried by nearly constant winds, as well as quick draining soils. This results in more dwarfed growth patterns closer to the sea and a more normal growth pattern as distance from the water increases.
Our collection includes live oak (Quercus virginiana), sand post oak (Quercus stellata margaretta), blue Jack oak (Quercus incana), yaupon hollies (Ilex vomittoria), tar flower (Befaria racemosa), sand pine (Pinus clausa), bear grass (Yucca filimentosa) and coral bean (Erythrina herbacea). Without the wind and salt to shape our specimens, they represent the inland side of the maritime hammock habitat.
