Soils of NZ image gallery

A soil picture resource of 83 soils commonly found in the NZ landscape. The list is sorted alphabetically by soil type. Complimentary information for all of these soil types - including detailed descriptions - is available from the following PDF files:

NZ soils by region

NZ soils by NZSC

NZ soils by USDA

Copyright for the images is held by Peter Singleton. The images are reproduced here with his kind permission.

Soil type	Region	Classification: NZSC	Classification: USDA	Short Description (Layer 1)	Picture (click to enlarge)
Ahaura Stony Silt Loam	West Coast/Southern Alps	Acidic Mafic Brown Soil	Typic Haplorthod	0 - 16 cm: Dark greyish brown slightly gravelly silt loam.
Awatere Shallow Sandy Loam	Marlborough/Nelson	Typic Fluvial Recent Soil	Typic Ustifluvent	0 - 15 cm: Dark greyish brown gravelly sandy loam, weakly pedal, coarse blocky macrofabric.
Bluff Clay	Hawke's Bay	Calcareous Orthic Melanic Soil	Typic Rendoll	0 - 30 cm: Very dark brown clay, strongly pedal, fine polyhedral macrofabric.
Bruntwood Silt Loam	Waikato	Typic Impeded Allophanic Soil	Aquic Hapludand	0 - 20 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam, fine polyhedral structure.
Bruntwood Silt Loam Pale Subsoil Variant	Waikato	Typic Gley Allophanic  Soil	Aquic Hapludand	0 - 20 cm: Dark brown silt loam, fine polyhedral structure.
Dunstan	Southland	Typic Allophanic Brown Soil	Andic Lithic Dystrochrept	0 - 15 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam with 10% gravel, earthy, apedal.
Egmont Black Loam	Taranaki/Manawatu	Typic Orthic Allophanic Soil	Typic Hapludand	0 - 20 cm: Black loam, very fine polyhedral structure; friable.
Foxton Black Sand	Taranaki/Manawatu	Typic Sandy Brown Soils	Typic Udipsamment	0 - 25 cm: Black loamy sand, fine polyhedral structure.
Grovetown Deep Clay Loam	Marlborough/Nelson	Mottled Fluvial Recent Soil	Aquic Dystrochrept	0 - 25 cm: Dark grey clay loam, moderately pedal, coarse blocky macrofabric.
Hamilton Clay Loam	Waikato	Typic Orthic Granular Soil	Typic Haplohumult	0 - 18 cm: Very dark greyish brown clay loam, medium polyhedral structure.
Hochstetter Fine Sandy Loam	West Coast/Southern Alps	Acidic-mafic Allophanic Brown Soil	Typic Dystrochrept	0 - 15 cm: Dark red brown slightly gravelly fine sandy loam, fine polyhedral structure.
Horotiu Silt Loam	Waikato	Typic Orthic Allophanic Soil	Typic Udivitrand	0 - 20 cm: Dark brown silt loam, medium polyhedral structure.
Hurunui Hill and Steepland Soil	Canterbury	Acidic Orthic Brown Soil	Typic Dystrudept	0 -18 cm: Very dark greyish brown, silt loam, fine and very fine polyhedral structure.
Kaingaroa Sand	Taupo	Welded Impeded Pumice Soil	Typic Udivitrand	0 - 7 cm: Very dark greyish brown sand with angular pumice lapilli.
Kairanga Silty Clay	Taranaki/Manawatu	Typic Orthic Gley Soil	Typic Endoaquept	0 - 20 cm: Dark grey silty clay; fine polyhedral structure with many Fe/Mn concretions at the boundary to the horizon below.
Kaweka Sandy Silt	Hawke's Bay	Typic Impeded Allophanic Soil	Typic Hapludand	0 - 18 cm: Dark brown humic sandy loam.
Kerikeri Friable Clay	Northland	Orthic Typic Oxidic Soil	Typic Haplohumult	0 - 15 cm: Dark brown heavy silt loam, fine polyhedral structure.
Kini Peat	West Coast/Southern Alps	Acid Humic Organic Soil	Typic Medisaprist	0 - 55 cm: Very fluid highly decomposed brownish black forest peat with abundant tree roots.
Kiore Hill Soil	East Cape	Typic Orthic Brown Soil	Typic Dystrochrept	0 - 12 cm: Dark greyish brown gritty silt loam.
Kopuawhara Loamy Sand	East Cape	Typic Orthic Allophanic	Typic Hapludand	0 - 17 cm: Black friable loamy sand.
Kourarau Hill Soils	Wellington/Wairarapa	Typic Rendzic Melanic Soil	Lithic Rendoll	0 - 20 cm: Very dark brown clay, strongly pedal, fine polyhedral macrofabric.
Kumara Soils	West Coast/Southern Alps	Silt-mantled Perch-gley Podzol	Typic Alaquod	0 - 10 cm: Reddish black greasy peat derived from forest litter.
Lewis Steepland Soil	Canterbury	Typic Orthic Podzol Soil	Andic Haplorthod	0 - 12 cm: Dark brown, silt loam, very fine to extremely fine polyhedral structure.
Lismore Shallow and Stony Silt Loam	Canterbury	Pallic Orthic Brown Soil	Typic Dystrustept	0 - 20cm: Very dark greyish brown, silt loam, fine and very fine polyhedral structure.
Lowburn Loamy Sand	Southland	Typic Aged-argillic Semiarid Soil	Arenic Haplargid	0 - 8 cm: Dark grey gravelly sand, massive, single grained.
Mamaku Sandy Loam	Bay of Plenty	Humose Orthic Podzol	Andic Haplohumod	0 - 8 cm: Black sandy loam.
Manawatu Silt Loam	Taranaki/Manawatu	Weathered Fluvial Recent Soil	Dystric Fluventic Eutrochrept	0 - 18 cm: Dark greyish brown silt loam, very fine and fine polyhedral structure.
Mapua Fine Sandy Loam	Marlborough/Nelson	Mottled Yellow Ultic Soil	Aquic Hapludult	0 - 28 cm: Dark greyish brown fine sandy loam, weakly pedal, coarse blocky macrofabric.
Marton Silt Loam	Taranaki/Manawatu	Argillic-fragic Perch-gley Pallic Soil	Aeric Kandiaqualf	0 - 25 cm: Dark greyish brown to very dark greyish brown silt loam, fine polyhedral structure.
Matangi Silt Loam	Waikato	Typic Sandy Gley Soil	Aquantic Humaquept	0 - 25 cm: Black to very dark greyish brown silt loam, often humic.
Moana Soils	West Coast/Southern Alps	Typic Perch-gley Podzol	Typic Epiaquod	0 - 20 cm: Very dark reddish brown forest litter.
Motumaoho Silty Peat	Waikato	Acid Humic Organic Soil	Terric Medisaprist	0 - 25 cm: Black completely decomposed peat, fine polyhedral structure.
Moutoa Humic Clay	Taranaki/Manawatu	Acidic Recent Gley Soil	Fluvaquentic Endoaquoll	0 - 35 cm: Very dark grey humic clay, fine polyhedral structure.
Oamaru Shallow Clay Loam	Southland	Typic Rendzic Melanic Soil	Lithic Rendoll	0 - 5 cm: Black calcareous clay loam, fine spheroidal structure, friable, non-sticky.
Okaihau Gravelly Clay	Northland	Nodular Typic Oxidic Soil	Orthoxic Palehumult	0 - 22 cm: Dark greyish brown gravelly silt loam, medium polyhedral structure.
Okarito Silt Loam	West Coast/Southern Alps	Silt-mantled Perch-gley Podzol	Placic Haplaquod	0 - 21 cm: Brown humic silt loam.
Omahu Gravelly Sandy Loam	Hawkes Bay	Typic Fluvial Recent Soil	Typic Ustifluvent	0 - 5 cm: Dark brown gravelly sandy loam.
Opouriao Silt Loam	Bay of Plenty	Weathered Fluvial Recent Soil	Dystric Fluventic Eutrochrept	0 - 23 cm: Black silt loam with moderately developed structure.
Opuha Silt Loam	Southland	Mottled Fragic Pallic Soil	Aquic Fragiochrept	0 - 20 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam, firm, fine polyhedral structure.
Oruanui Sand	Taupo	Podzolic Orthic Pumice soil	Andic Haplorthod	0 - 19 cm: Black friable sand with few pumice lapilli.
Oruataiaka Hill Soil	East Cape	Typic Orthic Recent Soils	Typic Udorthent	0 - 20 cm: Very dark greyish brown  silt loam with few  weakly weathered greywacke gravels.
Pakipaki Silt Loam	Hawke's Bay	Typic Sandy Gley Soil	Aquandic Humaquept	0 - 18 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam, moderately pedal, medium blocky macrofabric.
Papakauri Silt Loam	Northland	Typic Orthic Allophanic Soil	Acrudoxic Hapludand	0 - 15 cm: Dark reddish brown silt loam.
Papamoa Loamy Sand	Bay of Plenty	Typic Sandy Recent Soil	Typic Udipsamment	0 - 12 cm: Black loamy sand.
Paroa Silt Loam	Bay of Plenty	Acid Recent Gley Soils	Andic or Aquic Dystrochrept	0 - 18 cm: Very dark brown silt loam with coarse sand (Tarawera Tephra) in the upper 5 cm.
Pomahaka Loamy Silt on Sandy Loam	Southland	Fluvial Recent Soil	Typic Udifluvent	0 - 27 cm: Dark greyish brown loamy silt, medium polyhedral structure.
Poporangi Sandy Loam	Hawke's Bay	Mottled Duric Pallic Soil	Typic Durustalf	0 - 19 cm: Very dark brown sandy loam.
Puhoi Clay Loam	Auckland/Coromandel	Mottled-acidic Orthic Brown Soil	Mollic Haplaquept	0 - 18 cm: Very dark brown clay loam, fine polyhedral structure.
Ramiha Silt Loam	Taranaki/Manawatu	Acidic Allophanic Brown Soil	Andic Haplumbrept	0 - 30 cm: Dark brown silt loam; very fine and fine polyhedral structure.
Rapaura Shallow Silt Loam	Marlborough/Nelson	Typic Fluvial Recent Soil	Mollic Ustifluvent	0 - 22 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam, moderately pedal, medium polyhedral macrofabric.
Rotomahana Loam	Bay of Plenty	Typic Tephric Recent Soil	Typic Udorthent	0 - 7 cm: Very dark brown loam, friable with moderately developed structure.
Rukuhia Peat	Waikato	Acid Fibric Organic Soil	Hemic Medifibrist	0 - 15 cm: Reddish black very weakly decomposed peat.
Seddon Silt Loam	Marlborough/Nelson	Typic Immature Pallic Soil	Udic Ustochrept	0 - 23 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam, weakly pedal, fine polyhedral macrofabric.
Silverdale Silt Loam and Clay Loam	Waikato	Mottled Orthic Brown Soil	Oxyaquic Kanhapludalf	0 - 20 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam (or clay loam), fine polyhedral structure.
Taihape Steepland Soils - Eroded	Wellington/Wairarapa	Mottled Immature Pallic Soil	Aeric Epiaquept	0 - 4 cm: Brown silt loam.
Taihape Steepland Soils Uneroded	Wellington/Wairarapa	Mottled Argillic Pallic Soil	Aquic Haplustalf	0 - 17 cm: Very dark grey silt loam, moderately pedal, medium polyhedral macrofabric.
Takapau Sandy Loam	Hawke's Bay	Typic Orthic Allophanic Soil	Andic Ustochrept	0 - 25 cm: Very dark brown sandy loam.
Tamahere Silt Loam	Waikato	Artifact Fill Anthropic Soil	Typic Udivitrand	0 - 18 cm: Black, slightly gravelly coarse loamy sand.
Tauherenikau Shallow Silt Loam	Wellington/Wairarapa	Typic Orthic Brown Soil	Dystric Ustochrept	0 - 18 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam.
Taupo Sand	Taupo	Immature Orthic Pumice Soil	Typic Udivitrand	0 - 9 cm: Very dark brown friable gritty sand.
Te Anau Sandy Loam	Southland	Fragic Allophanic Brown Soil	Andic Dystrochrept	0 - 20 cm: Very dark grey sandy loam, friable, fine spheroidal and polyhedral structure.
Te Kopuru Sand	Northland	Humus-pan Densipan Podzol	Typic Duraquod	0 - 15 cm: Grey loamy sand.
Te Kowhai Silt Loam	Waikato	Typic Orthic Gley	Typic Ochraqualf	0 - 20 cm: Dark greyish brown silt loam, fine polyhedral structure.
Te Kowhai, Brown Subsoil Variant	Waikato	Typic Orthic Gley	Typic Ochraqualf	0 - 20 cm: Dark greyish brown silt loam, fine polyhedral structure.
Te Ngae Loamy Sand	Bay of Plenty	Buried-pumice Tephric Recent Soil	Typic Udivitrand	0 - 19 cm: Brown loamy sand.
Te Puke Sandy Loam	Bay of Plenty	Typic Orthic Allophanic Soil	Typic Hapludand	0 - 18 cm: Black friable sandy loam.
Te Rapa Peaty or Humic Silt Loam	Waikato	Humose Groundwater - gley  Podzol	Humic Aquic Haplorthod	0 - 20 cm: Black to very dark greyish brown peaty or humic silt loam, medium polyhedral.
Te Rapa Peaty or Humic Silt Loam Brown Subsoil Variant	Waikato	Humose Orthic Podzol	Humic Haplorthod	0 - 20 cm: Black peaty or humic silt loam, medium granular or polyhedral structure.
Tekoa Steepland Soil	Canterbury	Allophanic Firm Brown Soil	Andic Dystrudept	0 - 18 cm: Very dark greyish brown, silt loam, fine to extremely fine polyhedral structure.
Templeton Silt Loam	Canterbury	Typic Immature Pallic Soil	Udic Haplustept	0 - 25 cm: Very dark greyish brown, silt loam, fine and very fine polyhedral structure.
Temuka Clay Loam	Canterbury	Typic Orthic Gley Soil	Mollic Endoaquept	0 - 20 cm: Very dark greyish brown, clay loam, coarse to fine polyhedral structure.
Tihoi Loamy Sand	Taupo	Humose Orthic Podzol	Andic Haplorthod	0 - 9 cm: Black to very dark greyish brown loamy sand.
Timaru Silt Loam	Canterbury	Mottled Fragic Pallic Soil	Udic Haplustept	0 - 16 cm: Dark greyish brown, silt loam, fine and very fine polyhedral structure.
Waiherere Silt Loam	East Cape	Weathered Fluvial Recent Soil	Mollic Udifluvent	0 - 20 cm: Very dark greyish brown friable silt loam.
Waikare Clay	Auckland/Coromandel	Perch-gleyed Albic Ultic Soil	Aquic Haplohumult	0 - 7 cm: Dark greyish brown clay loam, medium polyhedral structure.
Waimate North Heavy Silt Loam	Northland	Typic Orthic Oxidic Soil	Andeptic haplohumult	0 - 13 cm: Dark red heavy silt loam.
Waipahihi Sand	Taupo	Immature Orthic Pumice Soil	Typic Udivitrand	0 - 12 cm: Very dark brown sand with many fine rounded pumice lapilli.
Wairau Deep Silt Loam	Marlborough/Nelson	Typic Fluvial Recent Soil	Mollic Ustifluvent	0 - 24 cm: Very dark greyish brown silt loam, weakly pedal, medium blocky macrofabric.
Waita Loamy Sand	West Coast/Southern Alps	Typic Orthic Podzol Soil	Typic Haplorthod	0 - 10 cm: Dark grey loamy sand.
Whakawai Hill Soil	East Cape	Typic Orthic Brown Soil	Umbric Dystrochrept	0 - 18 cm: Very dark greyish brown sandy loam with few sandstone fragments.
Whangaripo Clay	Auckland/Coromandel	Mottled Yellow Ultic Soil	Typic Hapludult	0 - 10 cm: Very dark grey clay, fine polyhedral structure.
Wharekaka Silt Loam	Wellington/Wairarapa	Mottled Fragic Pallic Soil	Aeric Fragiaquept	0 - 20 cm: Dark greyish brown silt loam.
Wharekohe Silt Loam	Northland	Densipan Perched-gley Ultic Soil	Typic Albaquult	0 - 18 cm: Greyish brown loamy silt.