LOCATION HAYWOOD NC+GA SC VAEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, isotic, mesic Humic Pachic Dystrudepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Haywood loam--in forest.
(Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise
stated.)
Oi--1 to 0 inch; mat of hardwood leaves. (0 to 2 inches
thick)
A1--0 to 7 inches; very dark brown (10YR 2/2) loam; moderate
very coarse granular structure; friable; many fine and medium
roots; few fine flakes of mica; 5 percent angular granitic
stones, cobbles, and gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
(6 to 12 inches thick)
A2--7 to 30 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) loam;
weak fine and coarse granular structure; very friable; common
fine and medium roots; few fine flakes of mica; 5 percent angular granitic stones, cobbles, and gravel; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (14 to 28 inches thick)
Bw--30 to 50 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) fine sandy
loam; weak fine and medium granular structure; very friable; few
fine roots; few fine flakes of mica; 25 percent coarse weathered gneissic fragments; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (15 to
30 inches thick)
Ab--50 to 60 inches; dark brown (10YR 3/3) loam; weak medium
and coarse granular structure; very friable; medium acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Transylvania County, North Carolina; Pisgah
Ranger District, 3 miles southwest of Cradle of Forestry; just
north of old logging road near head of Rockhouse Creek.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The umbric epipedon ranges from 20 to
40 inches thick. Thickness of the loamy B horizon ranges from 15
to 30 inches. Depth to hard rock is greater than 6 feet.
Reaction ranges from strongly acid to slightly acid throughout
unless the surface layer has been limed. Coarse angular gneiss granite and arkose fragments of gravel to stone size range from 5
to 30 percent throughout.
The A horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and
chroma of 1 to 3. It is loam, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam or their gravelly or stony equivalents.
The BA horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of
3 to 6, and chroma of 3 to 8. It is loam, sandy loam, or fine
sandy loam or their stony or gravelly equivalent.
The Bw horizon has hue of 7.5YR to 10YR, value of 3 to 6, and
chroma of 3 to 8. It is loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam or
their stony equivalents. The Bw horizon often overlies a buried horizon or a stony C horizon.
COMPETING SERIES: The
Odas series is the only other known series
in this family.
Brookshire,
Burton,
Jeffrey,
Porters,
Rosman,
Spivey,
Summers,
Toxaway,
Transylvania, and
Tusquitee series are
in closely related families. Brookshire, Porters, and Tusquitee soils have an umbric epipedon less than 10 inches thick. Burton soils have an umbric epipedon less than 20 inches thick and mean annual temperature less than 47 degrees. Jeffrey soils have an umbric epipedon less than 10 inches thick and bedrock at depths
of 20 to 40 inches. Odas soils are poorly drained and have
developed in glacial and volcanic outwash materials. Rosman
soils have an umbric epipedon 10 to 20 inches thick and
stratified C horizons. Spivey and Summers soils have more than
35 percent coarse fragments in the control section and have an
umbric epipedon that is 10 to 20 inches thick. Toxaway soils are poorly drained. Transylvania soils are in flood plains and have
18 to 35 percent clay in the control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Haywood soils are in high coves and on toe slopes that range from 2 to 45 percent at elevations generally
above 4000 feet. They are adjacent to steep stony and rocky
soils that are on the uplands. Haywood soils formed in colluvium from granite, gneiss, and arkose sandstone. Mean annual
temperature is 56 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation is 63 inches near the type location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Burton, Porters, Spivey, and Tusquitee series.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained; rapid permeability;
medium runoff and internal drainage.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are in forest. Common tree
species include hemlock, northern red oak, black and yellow
birch, black cherry, and white ash with an understory of dogwood, spicebush, silverbell, sourwood, mountain laurel, and
rhododendron.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: High mountains of North Carolina,
Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. This series is inextensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Lexington, Kentucky
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Transylvania County, North Carolina; 1968.