LOCATION LEON FL+AL GA MD MS NC SC VA
Established Series
Rev. AGH, GWH, DL, JNS; GRB
03/2014
LEON SERIES
The Leon series consists of very deep, very poorly and poorly drained, moderately rapid to moderately slowly permeable soils on upland flats, depressions, stream terraces and tidal areas. They formed in sandy marine sediments of the Eastern Gulf Coast Flatwoods (MLRA 152A), the Atlantic Coast Flatwoods (MLRA 153A) and to a lesser extent in the Southern Coastal Plain (MLRA 133A) and the North-Central Florida Ridge (MLRA 138). Near the type location, the mean annual temperature is about 68 degrees F., and the mean annual precipitation is about 65 inches. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Sandy, siliceous, thermic Aeric Alaquods
TYPICAL PEDON: Leon sand, in a forested area (Colors are for moist soil).
A--0 to 4 inches; 70 percent black (10YR 2/1) and 30 percent light gray (10YR 7/1) sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine, medium, and large roots; many clean sand grains give a salt-and-pepper appearance; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (2 to 9 inches thick)
Eg1--4 to 10 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) sand; common medium faint very dark gray (10YR 3/1) streaks and splotches of organic matter accumulations deposited in former root channels and krotovinas, ranging from about 20 percent in upper part to 0 percent in lower part; single grain; loose; many fine, medium, and large roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Eg2--10 to 15 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) sand; 20 percent faint light gray (10YR 7/1) oval splotches of organic matter depletions; single grain; loose; few fine and medium roots; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Eg horizons range from 2 to 22 inches)
Bh1--15 to 18 inches; 50 percent dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) and 50 percent black (7.5YR 2.5/1) sand; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; common fine and medium roots; many fine and medium pores; more than 95 percent of sand grains have organic coatings; extremely acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bh2--18 to 22 inches; dark brown (7.5YR 3/4) sand; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; firm; few fine and medium roots; common fine and medium pores; more than 95 percent of sand grains have organic coatings; extremely acid; clear wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bh horizons ranges from 4 to 50 inches)
Bw and Bh--22 to 25 inches; 80 percent (Bw) dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and 20 percent (Bh) dark brown (10YR 3/3) sand; very weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine and medium pores; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Eg and Bh--25 to 30 inches; 95 percent (Eg) weak red (2.5YR 5/2) and 5 percent (Bh) dark brown (7.5YR 3/3) sand; single grain; loose; common fine and medium pores; very strongly acid; diffuse irregular boundary. (0 to 10 inches thick)
E'g--30 to 42 inches; pinkish gray (7.5YR 7/2) sand; single grain; loose; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 36 inches thick)
B'h--42 to 77 inches; 50 percent very dark brown (10YR 2/2) and 50 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) sand; weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium pores; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 50 inches thick)
B'w and B'h--77 to 108 inches; 60 percent (Bw) brown (10YR 4/3), 40 percent Bh of very dark brown (10YR 2/2) and very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) sand; very weak medium and coarse subangular blocky structure; very friable; common fine and medium pores; very strongly acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Bay County, Florida. USGS Panama City Beach topographic quadrangle. Approximately 1.2 miles north of U.S. Highway 98, about 2.7 miles south of West Bay in Panama City Beach, Florida. SW 1/4, Sec. 20; T. 3 S., R. 15 W. 30 degrees 12.0 minutes 19.9 seconds N.; 85 degrees 46.0 minutes 20.4 seconds W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The Bh horizon is within 30 inches of the soil surface. Reaction ranges from extremely acid to slightly acid throughout. In tidal areas, the soil reaction ranges from very strongly acid to moderately alkaline throughout.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 7.5YR or 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 or 2; or is neutral with value of 2 to 4. When dry, this horizon has a salt-and-pepper appearance due to mixing of organic matter and sand grains. A thin O horizon of muck is present in some pedons. Texture is sand, fine sand, mucky fine sand, or mucky sand.
The E horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 3 to 4; or is neutral with value of 5 to 8. Streaks and splotches of organically enriched material in shades of black to gray range from common to many. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The Eg or E'g horizons, where present, have hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 3. Redoximorphic features of oval faint splotches (depletions) range from none to many. Streaks and masses of organic matter accumulation (Bh material) in shades of black to brown range from none to common. Texture is sand or fine sand.
A transitional horizon may be present between the lower E horizon and the Bh1 horizon. Where present, it has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 2 to 5, and chroma of 1 to 4. Thickness ranges from 0.5 to 7.0 inches. Texture is sand or fine sand.
The Bh horizon has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4; or is neutral with value of 2 to 4. This horizon burns white on ignition. Texture is sand, fine sand, loamy sand or loamy fine sand.
The Bw horizon, where present, has hue of 5YR to 10YR, value of 2 to 6, and chroma of 1 to 4; or is neutral with value of 1 to 5. Streaks and masses of organic matter accumulation (Bh material) in shades of black to brown range from none to common. Texture is sand or fine sand.
B'h, B''h. B'''h horizons, where present, have similar colors and textures as the Bh horizon but occurs below the BE, E', E'' and E''' horizons.
The C horizon, where present, has hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 8, and chroma of 1 to 6. Texture is sand or fine sand.
COMPETING SERIES: The
Talquin and
Witherbee series are the only known series in the same family. They are on similar to slightly higher positions. In addition, Talquin soils have a spodic horizon less than 6 inches in thickness and the somewhat poorly drained Witherbee soils have less than 0.06 organic carbon in the upper 12 inches of the spodic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Leon soils are on upland flats, depressions, stream terraces and tidal marshes of the lower Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain. They formed in thick beds of acid sandy marine sediments. The climate is humid subtropical. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. The average annual temperature ranges from 66 to 70 degrees F., and the average annual precipitation ranges from 61 to 69 inches at the sample location.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These include the
Allanton,
Chaires,
Chipley,
Croatan,
Dorovan,
Foxworth,
Hurricane,
Kershaw,
Kureb,
Lakeland,
Lynn Haven,
Mandarin,
Mascotte,
Olustee,
Ortega,
Osier,
Pactolus,
Pamlico,
Pantego,
Pickney,
Plummer,
Portsmouth,
Pottsburg,
Resota,
Ridgeland,
Ridgewood,
Rutlege,
Sapelo,
Scranton,
Surrency and
Wesconnett series. Allanton, Hurricane and Pottsburg soils have a spodic horizon at depths greater than 50 inches. In addition, Allanton soils are on lower positions and have umbric epipedons, Hurricane soils are somewhat poorly drained and on higher positions and Pottsburg soils are somewhat poorly to poorly drained and on similar to slightly higher positions. Chaires, Mascotte, Olustee and Sapelo soils are on similar positions but are underlain by argillic horizons under the Bh horizon. Chipley, Foxworth, Kershaw, Lakeland, Ortega and Ridgewood soils are on higher positions and lack spodic horizons. In addition, Chipley and Ridgewood soils are somewhat poorly drained, Foxworth soils are moderately well drained to excessively drained, Kershaw, Kureb and Lakeland soils are excessively drained and Ortega soils are moderately well drained. The very poorly drained Croatan, Dorovan and Pamlico soils are on lower positions and are organic. Lynn Haven soils are on similar positions but have an umbric epipedon. The somewhat poorly drained Mandarin soils are on higher positions. Osier soils are on flood plains and lack spodic horizons. The somewhat poorly to moderately well drained Pactolus soils are on higher positions and lack spodic horizons. The very poorly drained Pantego, Pickney, Portsmouth, Rutlege and Surrency soils are on lower positions and lack spodic horizons. In addition, Pantego, Pickney, Rutlege and Surrency soils have umbric epipedons. Plummer soils are on similar to lower positions and are grossarenic. Ridgeland and Wesconnett soils and lack E horizons between the A and Bh horizons. In addition, Ridgeland soils are on slightly higher positions and are somewhat poorly drained while Wesconnett soils are in lower depressional areas and are very poorly drained. The moderately well drained Resota soils are in higher positions and have weakly expressed spodic horizons. The poorly drained Scranton soils are on similar to slighter higher positions and lack spodic horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained and very poorly drained; moderate to moderately rapid permeability in the A and E horizons, moderate to moderately slow permeability in the Bh horizons, and rapidly permeable in the other layers.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas of Leon soils are used for forestry, rangeland and pasture. Areas with adequate water control are used for cropland and vegetables. The natural vegetation consists of longleaf pine, slash pine, water oak, myrtle, with a thick undergrowth of sawpalmetto, running oak, fetterbush and other lyionia, inkberry (gallberry), wax myrtle, goldenrod, ligustrina, dog fennel, chalky bluestem, lowbush blueberry, creeping bluestem and pineland threeawn (wiregrass). In depressions, the vegetation is dominated by brackenfern, smooth sumac and swamp cyrilla are common. Vegetation in the tidal marshes includes bushy seaoxeye, marshhay cordgrass, seashore saltgrass, batis, and smooth cordgrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: The Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. The series is of large extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Leon County, Florida; 1905.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 15 inches (A, E and Eg horizons).
Albic horizons - the zones from 4 to 15 inches (E and Eg horizons) and from 30 to 42 inches (E'g horizon).
Spodic horizon within 30 inches - the zones from 15 to 22 inches (Bh1 and Bh2 horizons) and from 42 inches to 77 inches (B'h horizon).
Aquic conditions - endosaturation throughout.
The water table is at depths of 6 to 18 inches for 1 to 4 months during most years. In low flats or sloughs it is at a depth of 0 to 6 for periods of more than 3 weeks during most years. It is between depths of 18 and 36 inches for 2 to 10 months during most years. It is below 60 inches during the dry periods of most years. Depressional areas are covered with standing water for periods of 6 months or more in most years.
Leon soils are in MLRAs 133A, 138, 152A and 153A.
ADDITIONAL DATA: IFAS Soil Characterization Data: S2-1-(1-9), S2-2-(1-8), S3-3-(1-5), S4-8-(1-9), S10-12-(1-7) S12-17-(1-7), S16-9-(1-7), S19-6-(1-5), S33-24-(1-7), S37-28-(1-8), S45-27-(1-7), S46-2-(1-6), S57-46-(1-6), S66-24-(1-8); samples by IFAS, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
NSSL Soil Characterization Data: S08FL-005-1 (1-10); sample by NSSL, Lincoln, NE.
Soil Name Slope Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip Elevation
LEON 0-5% 65-70F 230-310 60-69 in 8-135 ft
FloodL FloodH Water table Kind Months Bedrock
Fl0051 NONE 0.5-1.5 APPARENT MAR-SEP 60-60
FL0093 NONE 0 - 0.5 APPARENT FEB-SEP 60-60
FL0406 RARE COMMON 0 - 1.0 APPARENT MAR-SEP 60-60
FL0501 NONE - APPARENT - 60-60
FL0508 FREQ 0 - 0.5 APPARENT JAN-DEC 60-60
Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC-
FL0051 0- 3 S FS 0- 0 100-100 1- 5 2 - 12
FL0051 3-15 S FS 0- 0 100-100 0- 3 .3- 1
FL0051 15-30 S FS LS 0- 0 100-100 2- 8 8 - 30
FL0051 30-66 S FS 0- 0 100-100 1- 4 .5- 3
FL0051 66-80 0- 0 100-100 2- 8 8 - 30
FL0093 0- 4 MK-S MK-FS 0- 0 100-100 1- 6 12 - 30
FL0093 0- 4 S FS 0- 0 100-100 1- 5 2 - 12
FL0093 4-16 S FS 0- 0 100-100 0- 3 .3- 1
FL0093 16-25 S FS LS 0- 0 100-100 2- 8 8 - 30
FL0093 25-80 S FS 0- 0 100-100 1- 4 .5- 3
FL0406 0- 3 FS S 0- 0 100-100 1- 5 2 - 12
FL0406 0- 3 MK-FS MK-S 0- 0 100-100 1- 6 12 - 30
FL0406 3-15 FS S 0- 0 100-100 0- 3 .3-1
FL0406 15-23 FS S LS 0- 0 100-100 2- 8 8 - 30
FL0406 23-80 FS S 0- 0 100-100 1- 4 .5-3
Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% CEC
FL0501 0- 3 MUCK 0- 0 90-200 --- ---
FL0501 3-17 S FS 0- 0 100-100 0- 3 .3- 2
FL0501 17-80 S FS LFS 0- 0 100-100 2- 8 8.0- 30
FL0508 0-26 S FS 0- 0 100-100 1- 3 1.0- 12
FL0508 26-40 S FS 0- 0 100-100 2- 8 12 - 30
FL0508 40-80 S FS 0- 0 100-100 2-10 .5- 3
SOI-5 Depth pH O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll
FL0051 0- 3 3.6- 6.5 0.5-4.0 0- 2 6.0-20 LOW
FL0051 3-15 3.6- 6.5 0.0-0.5 0- 2 6.0-20 LOW
FL0051 15-30 3.6- 6.5 2.0-4.0 0- 2 0.6- 6.0 LOW
FL0051 30-66 3.6- 6.5 0.0-0.5 0- 2 2.0-20 LOW
FL0051 66-80 3.6- 6.5 1.0-3.0 0- 2 0.2- 2.0 LOW
FL0093 0- 4 3.6- 6.5 10-20 0- 2 6.0- 20 LOW
FL0093 0- 4 3.6- 6.5 2.-5. 0- 2 6.0- 20 LOW
FL0093 4-16 3.6- 6.5 0.- .5 0- 2 6.0- 20 LOW
FL0093 16-25 3.6- 6.5 1.-4. 0- 2 0.6- 6.0 LOW
FL0093 25-80 3.6- 6.5 0.- .5 0- 2 2.0- 20 LOW
FL0406 0- 3 3.6- 5.5 0.5-4. 0- 2 6.0- 20 LOW
FL0406 0- 3 3.6- 5.5 10-20 0- 2 6.0- 20 LOW
FL0406 3-15 3.6- 5.5 0.- .5 0- 2 6.0- 20 LOW
FL0406 15-23 3.6- 5.5 1.-4. 0- 2 0.6- 6.0 LOW
FL0406 23-80 3.6- 5.5 0.- .5 0- 2 0.6- 20 LOW
FL0501 0- 3 3.6- 5.5 20-80 0- 2 6.0- 20 LOW
FL0501 3-17 3.6- 5.5 0.-.5 0- 2 6.0- 20 LOW
FL0501 17-80 3.6- 5.5 1.-4. 0- 2 0.6- 6.0 LOW
FL0508 0-26 4.5- 8.4 1.-3. 8-16 2.0- 6.0 LOW
FL0508 26-40 4.5- 8.4 1.-4. 8-16 0.6- 6.0 LOW
FL0508 40-80 4.5- 8.4 0.-.5 2- 8 0.6- 6.0 LOW
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.