LOCATION VIRGILINA VA
Established Series
DHE, DTA
09/2025
VIRGILINA SERIES
MLRA(s): 136 (thermic part)
Soil Survey Regional Office (SSRO) Responsible: Southeast
Depth Class: Moderately deep
Agricultural Drainage Class: Moderately well drained
Index Surface Runoff: Medium to very rapid
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity Class: Low
Shrink-Swell Potential: Very high
Landscape: Piedmont uplands
Landform: Interstream divides and ridges
Parent Material: Residuum weathered from basalt, greenstone, gabbro, diabase,
diorite, and other dark-colored mafic rocks
Slope: 2 to 15 percent
Mean Annual Air Temperature (type location): 16 degrees C (60 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation (type location): 1195 millimeters (47 inches)
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, thermic Aquertic Hapludalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Virgilina gravelly silt loam--on a 4 percent slope in a pine forest. (Colors are for moist soils.)
A--0 to 8 centimeters (0 to 3 inches); olive brown (2.5Y 4/3) gravelly silt loam; weak fine medium granular structure; very friable; slightly sticky, non-plastic; many very fine and fine roots; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches) thick)
E--8 to 28 centimeters (3 to 11 inches); light yellowish brown (2.5Y 6/4) gravelly silt loam; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; friable; slightly sticky, non-plastic; few fine, medium, and coarse roots; 20 percent gravel; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 20 centimeters (0 to 8 inches) thick)
Btss--28 to 71 centimeters (11 to 28 inches); yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) clay; strong medium angular blocky structure; extremely firm; very sticky, very plastic; few fine roots; few very fine discontinuous tubular pores; common distinct clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions on faces of peds and along old root channels; common distinct nonintersecting slickensides; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (25 to 51 centimeters (10 to 20 inches) thick)
Bt--71 to 81 centimeters (28 to 32 inches); light olive brown (2.5Y 5/4) clay; strong fine and medium angular blocky structure; very firm; very sticky, very plastic; few fine roots; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; common fine prominent light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) iron depletions on faces of peds; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 10 centimeters (0 to 4 inches) thick)
R--81 centimeters (32 inches); unweathered slightly fractured meta-basalt
TYPE LOCATION: Halifax County, Virginia; about 1500 feet south of State Route 794 from the intersection with State Route 601, 200 feet east off State Route 794 in a forested area. USGS Virgilina, Virginia topographic quadrangle.
Latitude--36.641111
Longitude-- -78.760278
Datum--WGS84
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Solum thickness: 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to soft bedrock (if it occurs): 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to hard bedrock: 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches)
Depth to Seasonal High Water Table: 30 to 61 centimeters (12 to 24 inches)
Rock Fragment Content: 0 to 30 percent, by volume, in the A, Ap, E, BA, and BE horizons and less than 10 percent, by volume, throughout the rest of the profile; mostly iron and manganese concretions, quartz pebbles, or dark colored mafic rocks.
Mica Content: 0 to 20 percent, by volume
Soil Reaction: Very strongly acid to slightly alkaline in the A, Ap, E, BA, and BE horizons, unless limed, and strongly acid to moderately alkaline in the Bt, Btss, BC, and C horizons.
RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL HORIZONS:
A or Ap horizon:
Color--hue of 10 YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, chroma of 2 to 6
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam or loam
E horizon:
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 7, chroma of 2 to 6
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam or loam
BA or BE horizons (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 5 to 7, chroma of 2 to 6
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silt loam, loam, or silty clay loam
Btss horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6, chroma of 4 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--clay, silty clay, or sandy clay
Redoximorphic features--iron or clay depletions in shades of gray; and if they occur, iron accumulations in shades of red, brown, or yellow; or iron-manganese accumulations in shades of black or gray
Bt horizon:
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--clay, silty clay loam, clay loam, or silty clay
Redoximorphic features--iron masses in shades of red, brown, or yellow and iron or clay depletions in shades of gray within the upper 25 centimeters (10 inches) of the argillic horizon; iron-manganese accumulations in shades of black or gray
BC or BCt horizon (if it occurs):
Color--hue of 7.5YR to 2.5Y, value of 5 or 6, chroma of 3 to 8
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--silty clay loam or clay loam
Redoximorphic features (if they occur)-- iron masses in shades of red, brown, or yellow and iron or clay depletions in shades of gray; iron-manganese accumulations in shades of black or gray
C horizon (if it occurs):
Color--mottled in shades of brown, yellow, black, gray, or white
Texture (fine-earth fraction)--commonly loam or silt loam
Cr layer: (if it occurs)
Color--variable
Texture--weathered, moderately fractured to highly fractured mafic rock
R layer:
Color: variable
Texture--unweathered, slightly fractured to moderately fractured mafic rock
COMPETING SERIES:
There are no other series in this family. Soils in similar families include:
Brewback soils--have mixed mineralogy and a paralithic contact at a depth of 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches).
Crawfordville soils--have a paralithic contact at a depth of 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches), an abrupt textural change, and mixed mineralogy.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landscape: Piedmont uplands
Landform: Interstream divides and ridges
Parent Material: Residuum derived from basalt, greenstone, gabbro, diabase, diorite, and other dark-colored mafic rocks
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 14 to 18 degrees C (57 to 65 degrees F)
Mean Annual Precipitation: 1041 to 1346 millimeters (41 to 53 inches)
Frost-free period: 170 to 200 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS:
Cid soils--have a moderate shrink-swell potential, formed from Carolina slate, schist, or argillite, and are on similar landforms
Badin soils--are well drained, have a moderate shrink-swell potential, formed from Carolina slate, schist, or argillite, and are on similar landforms
Enon soils--are well drained, have no lithic or paralithic contact within a depth of 60 inches, and are on similar landforms
Georgeville soils--are well drained, have a red Bt horizon, have no lithic or paralithic contact within a depth of 152 centimeters (60 inches), a low shrink-swell potential, formed from Carolina slate, schist, or argillite, and are on similar landforms
Herndon soils--are well drained, have no lithic or paralithic contact within a depth of 152 centimeters (60 inches), a low shrink-swell potential, formed from Carolina slate, schist, or argillite, and are on similar landforms
Iredell soils--have a paralithic contact within a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches) or more and are on similar landforms
Nanford soils--are well drained, have a paralithic contact within a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches), a low shrink-swell potential, formed from Carolina slate, schist, or argillite, and are on similar landforms
Pittsboro soils--have a high shrink swell potential, have a lithic contact greater than 102 centimeters (40 inches) and are on similar landforms
Tarrus soils--are well drained, have a red Bt horizon, a paralithic contact within a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches), a low shrink-swell potential, formed from Carolina slate or argillite, and are on similar landforms
Sedgefield soils--have no lithic or paralithic contact within a depth of 152 centimeters (60 inches) and are on similar landforms
Winnsboro soils--are well drained, have a paralithic contact at a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches), and are on similar landforms
Wynott soils--are well drained, have a paralithic contact at a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches), and are on similar landforms
DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Agricultural Drainage Class: Moderately well drained
Index Surface Runoff: Medium to very rapid
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Restrictive Layer (upper 152 centimeters (60 inches): Low
USE AND VEGETATION:
Major Uses: Woodland, pasture, hayland, and cultivated crops
Dominant vegetation: Where wooded--Southern red oak, white oak, hickory, loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, post oak, blackjack oak, and sweetgum; understory is mainly Eastern red cedar, winged elm, flowering dogwood, eastern redbud, red maple, hawthorn, and sassafras. Where cultivated-- tobacco and small grain
SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (SSRO) RESPONSIBLE: Auburn, Alabama
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT:
Distribution: Virginia and possibly North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia
Extent: Small
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Halifax County, Virginia, 2004
REMARKS:
This series was formerly included with Iredell, Zion, Orange, Wilkes, and Wynott soils. Zion soils are well drained and have a lithic contact at a depth of 51 to 102 centimeters (20 to 40 inches). Orange soils have redoximorphic features in the upper 25 centimeters (10 inches) of the argillic horizon and have a paralithic contact at a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches). Zion and Orange soils are mesic due to the thermic/mesic break in MLRA 136. Wynott soils are well drained and have a paralithic contact at a depth of 102 to 152 centimeters (40 to 60 inches).
The September 2025 revision reformatted the description to semi-tabular. No data was changed.
Diagnostic horizons and soil characteristics recognized in this pedon:
Ochric epipedon--the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 28 centimeters (11 inches) (A and E horizons)
Argillic horizon--the zone between the depth of 28 to 81 centimeters (11 and 32 inches) (Btss and Bt horizons)
Lithic contact--the occurrence of unweathered bedrock at a depth of 81 centimeters (32 inches) (upper boundary of the R horizon)
ADDITIONAL DATA:
Typical Data Map Unit:
Typical User Pedon ID:
TABULAR SERIES DATA:
SOI-5 Soil Name Slope Airtemp FrFr/Seas Precip Elevation
VA VIRGILINA 2-15 57-65 170-200 41-53 350-800
SOI-5 FloodL FloodH Watertable Kind Months Bedrock Hardness
VA NONE 1.0-2.0 PERCHED NOV-APR 20-40 HARD
SOI-5 Depth Texture 3-Inch No-10 Clay% -CEC-
VA 0-11 GR-SIL GR-L 0-3 70-90 8-27 7-15
VA 11-28 C SIC SC 0-3 90-100 35-60 20-40
VA 28-32 C SIC SICL 0-3 90-100 28-60 10-25
VA 32 UWB - - - -
SOI-5 Depth -pH- O.M. Salin Permeab Shnk-Swll
VA 0-11 4.6-7.8 1.-2. 0-0 0.6-2.0 LOW
VA 11-28 5.1-8.5 0.-.5 0-0 0.0-0.06 VERY HIGH
VA 28-32 5.1-8.5 0.-.5 0-0 0.06-0.2 HIGH
VA 32 - - - -
________________________________________
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.