In north-central Florida, scrub is found at the rosemary area near Interlachen, or most of the sand pine areas in Ocala National Forest. The largest scrubs are Big Scrub in Ocala National Forest, which is now being managed for pulp production, and the Lake Wales Ridge scrub, which is rapidly succumbing to citrus and housing development. Little scrub remains in Florida due to development. They often form a matrix, with islands of sandhill, scrub, or wet prairie habitats, or baygalls, cypress domes, hammocks, and marshes scattered through. Flatwoods are flat, with acidic soils, often Spodosols with an organic horizon occasionally underlain by a clay hardpan.
Drainage is very slow off of the extensive flat land.
The hardpan may further impede drainage. Flatwoods may be extremely dry during low-water periods, but will flood at other seasons due to low relief and the impermeable hardpan near the soil surface. The longleaf pine was historically the dominant tree of flatwoods, casting a sparse shade, and standing in evenly-spaced groves that extended for miles. Flatwoods were once carpeted by herbs and wildflowers interwoven with palmettoes, gallberry, and grasses. Frequent fires cleared and cleaned out litter, and stimulated flatwoods plants to bloom.