Many types of vegetation grow in a swamp.
Swamps are slow-moving or stagnant bodies of water that fill abandoned waterways. The term itself generally refers to a very slow current, while the term bayou lake is often used to describe lakes or ponds in similar conditions. The swamp is normally found in very flat regions, as the lack of slope reduces the speed at which the water flows. It is usually runoff from a nearby large waterway, such as the Mississippi River, and as such can be affected by flooding in the main waterway.
Cattails grow well in a swamp.
The word is primarily used in the southern United States. The term “ciénaga” is also used to describe essentially the same geographic feature, although it tends to be in more general use. The swamp is particularly associated with the Cajun culture of Louisiana and parts of Texas and Alabama. They are also found throughout Arkansas, although most in that state use an alternate spelling of buyou.
Crocodiles can be found in the streams.
Due to its slow-moving nature and relative lack of differentiation in height, a swamp often forms a kind of bog or bog. In fact, the easiest way to think of one is simply like a stream running through a swamp. Plants and trees can grow throughout the swamp, causing the water to appear to flow erratically throughout the land. The ecology of these wetlands is quite diverse and in some cases unique. The ground is always wet, leading to specialized plants that do well with little or no oxygen and are equipped to take advantage of abundant water. Planks, water lilies, rushes, and cedars are examples of vegetation that are well suited to this environment.
Voodoo stories often take place in a swamp.
Due to its almost labyrinthine character, eternal humidity and sometimes creepy vegetation, the swamp is often the location of fictional scary stories. Voodoo stories often take place there, and a number of horror stories take place deep in the swamp, far from civilization. Alligators inhabit much of the Louisiana bayou, adding to the mystique of fear that surrounds the region.
The state of Louisiana and the Cajun culture are associated with the swamp.
The city of Houston, Texas is often called Bayou City. This is a reference to the many streams that run through the city of Houston or outside the city limits. White Oak Bayou, Buffalo Bayou, and Carpenters Bayou are the most famous, but there are more than 18 in the area.