Florida’s state soil? You’ll never guess.

Florida’s state soil may surprise you — or maybe the fact that we even have a state soil. But yes, every state does, just like having a state flower or a state bird. Our state soil just happens to share the name of a Florida city, a river and a state park.

It’s called Myakka soil. Native to Florida, it’s the single most extensive soil in our state, named after the Indian word for Big Waters. Designated as Florida’s official state soil in 1989, Myakka is mostly fine sand, which is great for plants that prefer sandier soils that drain quickly (like palmettos and slash pines). Florida native plants and numerous tropicals also love it. Another upside: If our state didn’t have fast-draining soil, we’d experience a lot more flooding with all the rainfall we get.

Don’t despair over Myakka’s lacka of good qualities.

But don’t despair over your Myakka’s lacka of good soil qualities. You can improve it with a variety of amendments pending your needs and advice from a qualified landscape company. Also, mulch will help retain moisture in your plant beds. What about fertilizer? It’s been proven to provide beneficial nutrients but only when applied appropriately and in accordance with our local ordinances.  

What about compacted soil?

All this said, what about compacted soil in our area? Face it, areas where roots can’t dry out in a reasonable amount of time will generally (not always) give you two outcomes. Plants and turf “learn” to grow almost hydroponically by adjusting to shallower root growth. Or, they’ll wither along or eventually die. Unfortunately, compacted soil will always be around due to road and construction activities, but in Florida and every other state, that’s a fact of life.

Now that you know what Florida’s state soil is, care to know what all our state symbols are? We’re happy to share the entire list right here.

And an extra bonus: a blog we wrote about our state wildflower. Enjoy.

Call ArtisTree Landscape 941.488.8897

To get your landscape renovation started now, browse ArtisTree’s portfolio and then call Jenni Lassen at 941.488.8897, ext. 312, to meet with one of our award-winning designers. We proudly serve Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties.

ArtisTree also provides complete landscape maintenance services for HOA communities throughout Southwest Florida. Contact Michael Casper at 941.488.8897, ext. 321, for your custom proposal.  

Category Soil, News