Acidic Soil Plants

Certain species of plants grow well in certain types of soil, and you don't have to be some veteran in the field of gardening to know that. Basically, soil composition has a crucial role to play when it comes to plant growth, and when we talk about the composition of soil its pH value is one crucial factor which has to be taken into consideration. While most of the plant species grow well in soil with a pH balance of 6 - 7, others require soil with a pH balance much less than that - ideally 4 - 6, in order to facilitate proper growth. Soil with low pH is known as acidic soil, while the plants which grow well in such soil are known as acidic soil plants or ericaceous plants.

Acidic Soil

When it comes to soil science, the different types of soils are broadly categorized into two groups - acidic and alkaline soil, on the basis of their pH balance. Soil with a pH balance of 7 or less is considered to be acidic soil, while soil with a pH balance exceeding 7 is known as alkaline soil. Similarly, a value of 7 on the pH scale represents neutral soil. Acidic soil is predominantly formed as a result of decomposition of plant and animal matter in this soil. Other than this, soil formed from an acidic parent rock will also turn out to be acidic soil. Generally, you come across such soil in regions which have soft water or which experience heavy rainfall. This soil can also be transformed to alkaline soil as a result of various natural occurrences, including disintegration of a limestone rock.

Acidic Soil Plants

The simple rule of the thumb is that the plants which prefer acidic conditions grow well in acidic soil. The pH levels of the soil determine the presence of different nutrients in it. If you try to plant these species of plants in alkaline soil, it will indirectly affect their growth as they will not be able to derive the necessary nutrients from the soil. As in case of these plants, even microorganisms have a preference for either acidic or alkaline soil. The pH levels of soil have a crucial role to play when it comes to smooth functioning of the said ecosystem.

Best Plants for Acidic Soil

While rhododendron and heather are the most popular species of acidic plant, there also exist several more species which prefer to grow in soil with a pH value of less than 6. Given below are some examples of such plants on the basis of their genre.

• Some popular species of trees which prefer acidic soil are Strawberry Tree, Sweetbay, American Sweet Gum, Koster Blue Spruce, etc.
• Some species of perennial plants which are known to grow well in acid soils include the Tibetan Blue Poppy, Flag Iris, Big Blue Lily-turf, etc.
• Some shrubs and bushes which are often associated with acidic soils include Winter Flowering Heath, Bayberry, Ground Juniper, Chinese Witch Hazel, Calico Bush, etc.
• When climbers which prefer acidic soils are taken into consideration, the most prominent names include the Trumpet Creeper and the Persian Ivy.
• If plant species that work as a ground cover is something that you are looking forward to, the Heather and the Wintergreen species are the most popular.

Some of these plants have beautiful flowers, and this is what makes them quite popular among gardening enthusiasts. If you are looking forward to add some acidic soil loving plants to your garden, you should try some of the species given above. If your region doesn't have soil with low pH level, you can resort to various methods of lowering soil pH including some simple ones such as adding sulfur or composting. Similarly, if the soil in the area wherein you reside is too acidic for the plants to thrive, you can resort to neutralization of soil by adding agricultural lime or calcium sulfate to it.