Bayheads are peat-filled seepage depressions that are usually found at the bottom of slopes which have high water tables (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).  Deep sands and impermeable clays are found underneath the peat (Ewel, 1990).  The canopy in a bayhead is composed of tall, densely-packed evergreen hardwoods dominated by bays.  The mostly open understory consists of shrubs and ferns.  Typical plants in a bayhead include sweetbay, swamp red bay, loblolly bay, dahoon holly, Atlantic white cedar, fetterbush, male-berry, myrtle-leaved holly, gallberry, wax myrtle, hurrah-bush, dog hobble, white alder, possumhaw, red chokeberry, Virginia willow, laurel greenbrier, poison ivy, cinnamon fern, chain fern, wild grape, sweetgum, cypress, lizard's tail, and needle palm (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).

Rarely do bayheads dry out completely, prohibiting fire from entering the community but once every 50 to 100 years.  When fire does get into a bayhead, those bay trees on the edge of the community that are killed usually resprout from the roots and replace themselves.  When more severe fires occur, bayheads may change into different communities.  A cypress-gum community may form when fire burns a significant amount of peat (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).  During drought-season, the entire bayhead may burn (Ewel, 1990).  If fire gets into a bayhead too often, the community may eventually change to a shrub bog (Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 1990).

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