LOCATION FUQUAY NC+AL FL GA SC
Established Series
CMO/Rev. JAK/DTA
02/2026
FUQUAY SERIES
MLRA(s): 133A, 137, 153A
Depth Class: Very deep
Agricultural Drainage Class: Well drained
Index Surface Runoff: Low
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Moderately low
Shrink-Swell Potential: Low
Landscape: Carolina and Georgia Sand Hills, upper and middle coastal plains
Landform: Marine terraces, uplands, flats
Parent Material: Sandy over loamy marine deposits or fluviomarine deposits
Slope: 0 to 10 percent
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 17 degrees C (62 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1245 millimeters (49 inches)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Arenic Plinthic Kandiudults
TYPICAL PEDON: Fuquay sand--cultivated (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches); grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand; single grain; loose; common fine roots; few (1 percent) nodules of ironstone; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
E--20 to 86 centimeters (8 to 34 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sand; many coarse light gray (2.5Y 7/2) bodies of clean sand grains in lower part; single grain; loose; few fine roots; 1 percent ironstone nodules; strongly acid; diffuse wavy boundary.
Bt1--86 to 114 centimeters (34 to 45 inches); brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; 1 percent ironstone nodules; common medium faint strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Bt2--114 to 127 centimeters (about 45 to 50 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) sandy clay loam; weak medium angular blocky structure, friable; few fine roots and pores; few faint clay films on faces of peds; 4 percent medium and coarse strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) ironstone nodules; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary.
Btv1--127 to 137 centimeters (50 to 54 inches); strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) sandy clay loam; coatings and streaks of light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy clay; few linear streaks of yellowish red (5YR 4/6) sandy loam; weak medium angular blocky structure; friable; common fine pores; 10 percent plinthite nodules, red and brown zones of plinthite are very firm and brittle; few faint clay films on faces of peds; light gray areas are iron depletions and yellowish red areas are masses of oxidized iron; strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
Btv2--137 to 178 centimeters (54 to 70 inches): reticulate pattern of brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) and yellowish red (5YR 5/8) sandy clay loam and light gray (10YR 7/1) sandy clay; gray parts are surrounded by brownish yellow colors that grade into yellowish red colors; weak medium angular blocky structure; firm; few fine pores; 10 percent plinthite nodules; few faint brownish yellow clay films on faces of peds; the areas with yellowish red color are masses of oxidized iron and areas with light gray are iron depletions; strongly acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Btv3--178 to 244 centimeters (70 to 96 inches); brownish yellow (10YR 6/8) sandy clay loam grading to sandy loam in the lower part; weak coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; 10 percent plinthite nodules; few fine pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds in light gray areas; reticulate pattern of common, coarse prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) and distinct yellowish red (5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron and common coarse prominent light gray (10YR 7/2) iron depletions; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
C--244 to 274 centimeters (96 to 108 inches); yellowish red (5YR 5/8) loamy sand; massive; very friable; common fine and coarse faint red (2.5YR 5/8) masses of oxidized iron and few fine brownish yellow (10YR 6/6) iron depletions; strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Johnston County, North Carolina; 0.23 mile south of junction of North Carolina Highways 50 and 210, 126 feet north of County Road No.1320 and 250 feet west of North Carolina Highway 50. USGS Edmondson, North Carolina topographic quadrangle.
Latitude--35.5126
Longitude-- -78.5793
Datum--WGS84
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Depth to top of argillic horizon: 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to base of argillic horizon: 152 to more than 198 centimeters (60 to more than 78 inches)
Depth to bedrock: Greater than 198 centimeters (78 inches)
Depth to seasonal high water table: 102 to 152 centimeters or more (40 to 60 inches or more), January to March
Thickness of the sandy surface and subsurface layers: 52 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Rock fragment content: 0 to 35 percent, by volume, in the A, E, and BE horizons and 0 to 15 percent throughout the lower profile; mostly rounded nodules of ironstone
Soil reaction: Extremely acid to moderately acid, except where limed
Plinthite content: Greater than 5 percent within a depth of 152 centimeters (60 inches) starting at a depth greater than 51 centimeters (about 20 inches)
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
Ap horizon or A horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 to 5, chroma of 1 to 3
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, fine sand, or loamy fine sand
E horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 3 to 6. Some pedons have mottles in shades of these colors.
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--coarse sand, sand, loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, fine sand, or loamy fine sand
BE horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 5 or 6, chroma of 3 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam
Bt or Btc horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam
Redoximorphic features (if it occurs)--masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
Btg horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, chroma of 1 to 2
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, or gray
Btv horizon or Btcv horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 10R to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, chroma of 1 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray commonly in a reticulate pattern
Other features--bodies of reddish plinthite surrounded by strong brown and yellowish brown material. The reddish and brownish parts are typically sandy clay loam or sandy loam. The gray parts are sandy clay loam or sandy clay. Generally, the redder parts of the plinthite are oriented horizontally.
BCt, BC, or C horizons (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 2.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, chroma of 1 to 8 and may be variegated in shades of these colors
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--loamy coarse sand, loamy sand , loamy fine sand, sandy loam, or fine sandy loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray
C horizon:
Color--hue of 2.5YR, 5YR, 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, chroma of 1 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--loamy coarse sand, loamy sand, or sandy loam
Redoximorphic features--masses of oxidized iron in shades of red, yellow, or brown and iron depletions in shades of brown, yellow, olive, or gray commonly in a reticulate pattern
COMPETING SERIES:
There are no other known series in the same family.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Elevation Range: 30 to 152 meters (100 to 500 feet)
Frost Free Period: 190 to 290 days
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 14 to 21 degrees C (57 to 70 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation: 889 to 1397 millimeters (35 to 55 inches)
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Cowarts soils--have sandy A and E horizons less than 51 centimeters (20 inches) thick
Dothan soils--have sandy A and E horizons less than 51 centimeters (20 inches)
Lakeland soils--do not have plinthite or argillic horizon
Leefield soils--are somewhat poorly drained
Norfolk soils--have sandy A and E horizons less than 51 centimeters (20 inches)
Stilson soils--are moderately well drained
Tifton soils--have sandy A and E horizons less than 51 centimeters (20 inches)
Troup soils--do not have plinthite and have sandy A and E horizons more than 102 centimeters (40 inches) thick
Varina soils--have sandy A and E horizons less than 51 centimeters (20 inches)
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Agricultural Drainage Class: Well drained
Index Surface Runoff: Low
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: Moderately low
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Cropland
Dominant Vegetation: Where cultivated--tobacco, cotton, corn, soybeans, peanuts, and small grains. Where wooded--loblolly pine, longleaf pine, and slash pine, with some hardwoods, understory plants including American holly, flowering dogwood, persimmon, and greenbrier.
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina
Extent: Large
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Johnston County, North Carolina; 1965.
REMARKS:
06/88. Revised the classification to Arenic Plinthic Kandiudults according to criteria in the Low Activity Clay Amendment to Soil Taxonomy, August 1986.
11/2007. The base elevation range was extended to 30 meters (100 feet). The intent is to restrict Fuquay soils to areas above the toe of the Surry scarp. The February 2026 revision updated the format. No data was changed.
Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from 0 to 86 centimeters (0 to 34 inches)(Ap and E horizons)
Kandic horizon--the zone between 86 to 244 centimeters (34 to 96 inches) has low activity clay in more than 50 percent of the upper 102 centimeters (40 inches) of the horizon (Bt, Bt, and Btv horizons)
Argillic horizon--the zone from 86 to 244 centimeters (34 to 96 inches) (Bt, Bt, and Btv horizons)
Plinthite--more than 5 percent plinthite nodules in the zone from 127 to 244 centimeters (50 to 96 inches) (Btv horizons)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Laboratory Data: Characterization/Reference data are available from NRCS-Soil Survey Laboratory, Lincoln, NE.; User Pedon ID (S06GA251001) or Lab Pedon Number (06NO934) is representative of the Fuquay Series.
________________________________________
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.