On ridges , species composition depends largely on past events and past treatments. On sites where sedimentation occurs slowly, e.g., at some distance from the stream, overcup oak, water hickory, green ash, and persimmon are the tree species that most often follow the willow. The baldcypress-water tupelo type is most common in the swamps of major river bottoms. Depending on depth and duration of flooding, other tree species that sometimes occur include swamp tupelo, water elm, Carolina ash, water hickory, swamp laurel oak, and overcup oak. Species that occur only on ridge positions in major bottoms often occur on flats in the minor bottoms.
River birch is most often the pioneer species on new land such as bars and mud flats.
Species composition is extremely diverse on the fronts or natural levees and may include yellow poplar, American beech, sycamore, spruce pine, sweetgum, cherrybark oak, Shumard oak, water oak, swamp chestnut oak, and several species of hickory. Although flooding still occurs, autogenic forces control natural succession and species occurrence on these front sites. Typical species occurring on better drained flats and ridges of minor bottoms include sweetgum, cherrybark oak, water oak, swamp chestnut oak, American elm, and hickories. On less well- drained flats, the major species include overcup oak, willow oak, Nuttall oak, swamp laurel oak, persimmon, green ash, sugarberry, and red maple. Species composition occurring in sloughs of minor bottoms will vary, depending on duration of flooding.