- Louisiana is home to a number of soil types.Michael Hitoshi/Photodisc/Getty Images
Soil typically is formed by a number of different chemical and physical processes, and usually comprises the uppermost 6 to 8 inches of the surface. Often, different locations will possess different types of soil because of the wide variety of processes that go into making it, including topography, organisms, time, material and climate. Louisiana has a number of different soils, stemming from the wide variety of processes that have taken place there. - Tertiary upland soils typically are found in the northern and northwestern regions of Louisiana, around cities such as Shreveport, Ferriday and Homer. It is formed from the oldest parent material in the state, and its reddish-yellow color stems from the fact that it has been highly oxidized and submitted to the process of weathering. Various pines and hardwoods typically grow in this soil.
- Pleistocene terrace soil has formed on various flood plains, especially those surrounding the Red and Ouachita Rivers. These soils are quite old, having formed on alluvium between 10,000 to 2 million years ago. This soil is an advanced stage of development. A number of hardwoods grow here, including red maple and hickory.
- Flatwoods soils typically form in areas where pine trees and other hardwoods tend to be most prominent. As a result of the large amount of pine that goes into its formation, this type of soil tends to be very acidic.
- Coastal prairie soil of Louisiana is formed when clay particles are washed down and accumulate into a layer just below the surface. These types of soil tend to be found in Southwest Louisiana and have a very developed profile. A variety of types of oak, including red and white, usually grow here.
- Loess soil has developed along the margins of the Mississippi River Valley, and the thinner layer that is found in the Southwest tends to not be as fertile as that found in the West Feliciana Parish, although sweet potatoes are known to grow in the former area.
- Holocene plains soil is found across the Mississippi, Red and Ouachita River plains, and its gray color is due to the large amount of organic material left over from waterlogged conditions. This type of soil is the most fertile in the state because of its youth. Cottonwood and sweet gum trees typically grow in Holocene.
- Gulf Coast marsh soil is dark gray to brown and black color, and contains a great deal of organic material (resulting from the poor drainage of the Gulf Coast.) Both mucks (which are largely decomposed matter) and peats (which result from a lack of decay) occur in this area and can form very thick layers on top of clay soils. Grasses, sedges, and rushes are commonly found here.
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