Hardwood swamps occur along rivers in north Florida and in strands along sloughs in south Florida.
Sloughs are broad shallow channels that contain flowing water.
In south Florida, hardwood swamps consist of a dense mix of oaks, black gum, willow, cypress, and red maple as well as palms. Within the strand, the soil is very rich, but is usually covered by a few inches to several feet of water. This in combination with the dense forest canopy limits the amount of food available to white-tailed deer. Water also limits the presence of wild hogs in hardwood swamps. Raccoons and a wide variety of amphibians, reptiles, and birds are found in hardwood swamps.