Scrub, Flatwoods and More

Jupiter Ridge Natural Area is tough, tough land, with a dense cover of scrub oaks, hog plum, fetterbush, coastalplain staggerbush, grasses and sedge. Beyond, a patch of mesic flatwoods, marked by slash pines in the canopy bent by the force of ocean winds. Together, they provide both forage and shelter for a wide variety of creatures, birds, lizards, small mammals, insects and others. Normally this close to the coast, you'd see sand pines growing instead of slash pines. However sand pines require an occasional fire to set new seed, and this land likely hasn't burned in decades. As the sand pines die off, slash pines take their place. There are still some sections where sand pines remain the dominant tree.

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