What is Mesic?
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Posted by Robert Dailey Sep 27, 2007 |
The term mesic, which comes from the Greek mesos, meaning middle, relates to an ecological habitat classified as “moderately moist."
Moreover, mesic habitats can be broken down into three sub-classifications: wet mesic, mesic, and dry mesic.
Plants, which grow in wet mesic habitats, are intolerant to flooding, but do like moist, almost wet soil. They will not be found along riverbeds or bodies of water, but can be found in forests, temperate zones and even higher altitude forests, and places where moisture is more plentiful. Wet mesic plants grow in upland areas with high moisture soil that is high in nutrients and loamy. This includes most forest areas. Wet mesic plants do not do well in full sun, but rather in partial shade.
Mesic habitats are ideal growing conditions for most trees, and include moist forests. Mesic areas have combinations of sand and loam soils, which hold some moisture. These plants will tolerate much more sun than wet mesic plants do.
Plants that naturally grow in dry mesic habitat need less moisture than those in the other two areas. These are plants that grow well in sandy soil with mostly southern exposure. These plants are not drought tolerant, however. They will do well in the wetter prairie areas, though, and thrive in full sun.
There are few wet mesic, mesic or dry mesic plants that do well in desert gardens, except in well-watered “oasis” areas.
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