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Got Acidic Soil (Low pH)? These Plants Won’t Mind

Published on April 19, 2021Last updated October 4, 2021 ♛ By Melissa J. Will

This post contains affiliate links.
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While most plants prefer near neutral soil pH levels, there are plenty of plants you can grow in acidic (low pH) conditions. Browse the list of trees, shrubs, perennials, climbers, fruits, and vegetables to get ideas for your low-pH garden.

For a beginner’s guide, also see What is Soil pH and How to Work With It.

Magnolia bloom, blueberries, and mushroom.

Growing in Low-pH Acidic Soil

Examples of plants that grow in acidic soil including magnolia, blueberry, and woodland plants.

Once you know the pH level of your garden soil, you have another piece of the puzzle to better understand which plants are suited to your growing space.

Along with the benefits to knowing our soil structure and texture (sand, silt, clay), water drainage abilities (or lack of), organic content and fertility, the pH level tells us which nutrients are available to the plants. And that can mean the difference between plants struggling or thriving.


Contents

  • Understanding pH
    • How to Test Your Soil pH
  • Plants That Tolerate Acidic Soil
    • Fruits
    • Vegetables
    • Trees
    • Shrubs
    • Climbers
    • Perennials
    • Aquatic & Bog Plants

Understanding pH

Soil pH scale from acid to alkaline.

For a quick refresher, in pH tests, high pH (above 7.0) = alkaline and low pH (below 7.0) = acidic.

Most of our gardens are between 5 and 8.

In acidic conditions (low pH), essential nutrients including phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and magnesium have limited availability to plants.

That lower pH indicates a high concentration of hydrogen ions are stopping the other nutrients (minerals) from making themselves available to the plants. They may be there but the plants can’t use them.

But, there are plants that tolerate or have adapted to more acidic conditions. This includes woodland plants, heathers, Japanese maples, hydrangeas (blue ones), magnolias, azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries, and more.

If your soil is naturally acidic and conditions (sun, water, soil structure) are suitable, you can grow these plants directly in the ground.

If you want to grow them but your soil is alkaline (higher pH), choose dwarf or compact versions and plant your acid-tolerant plants in containers with special (ericaceous/slightly acidic) soil or compost.

How to Test Your Soil pH

Garden Tutor Soil pH Test Strips Kit
(3.5-9 Range) 100 Tests

pH Soil Testing Kit | Amazon

  • Calibrated specifically for soil pH testing
  • Fast, accurate results
  • Optimize soil pH to plants specific needs
  • Enough test strips for 100 soil pH tests
  • Includes detailed 16-page full color pH testing handbook with lime and sulfur application charts

Take samples from several parts of your garden. Keep in mind that things like the concrete used for house foundations and can alter soil pH levels.

It is also recommended to get a complete soil analysis at an accredited lab (including pH testing) to better understand your soil traits.

Plants That Tolerate Acidic Soil

The pH level of your soil is just one factor to consider when deciding what to grow. Other important factors include soil, light, water, wind, and ensuring the plant is not invasive in your area.

DISCLAIMER

  • These plants lists come from dozens of sources. I did my best to provide accurate information but some of it is generalized and there are plenty of exceptions within each species.
  • Please use it as a general guide to get ideas and double check the specific needs and potential invasiveness of any plants you choose.

Wait! Before You Plant…

Empress of Dirt.

Be sure any plants you choose:

  1. Are recommended for your plant hardiness zone.
  2. Are not invasive in your area.
  3. Are suitable for your growing conditions including sun, soil, water, and wind.
  4. Contribute to biodiversity by providing food, nectar, or habitat for wildlife.
  5. Are not too big for the space available when they reach maturity.

You can read more ecological gardening tips here.


TIP: If you’re on a desktop computer, use Control + F (PC) or Command + F (MAC) to search for a particular plant name on this page.

1Fruits

Fruit plants that tolerate acidic soil.
pH LevelCommon Name
5.8 to 7Apple
4.5 to 5.5Blueberry
6 to 6.5Blackcurrant
4.2 to 5Cranberry
5.5 to 6.5Elderberry
5.5 to 6.5Gooseberry
5.5 to 6.5Grapes
5.5 to 7Redcurrant
6 to 6.5Whitecurrant
5.4 to 6.5Strawberry

2Vegetables

Vegetables including peppers, radish, and parsley
pH LevelCommon Name
5.5 to 6.5Parsley
5.5 to 6.5Peppers
4.8 to 5.5Potatoes
4.5 to 5Radish
5.5 to 6.5Rhubarb
4.5 to 5Sweet potato
5.5 to 7Tomato

3Trees

Trees that tolerate acidic soil.
pH LevelCommon NameBotanical Name Minimum
Hardiness Zone
5.5 to 6Snakebark mapleAcer davidii5 to 7
5.5 to 6MoosewoodAcer pensylvanicum ‘Erythrocladum’3 to 9
5 to 7Juneberry and ServiceberryAmelanchier species4 to 7
7 to 11Strawberry treeArbutus unedo7 to 11
4.5 to 5.5AzaleaAzalea (various)5 to 10
5 to 6.5BeechBeech (various)2 to 7
6.6 to 7.8Eastern redbudCercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’6b
5 to 7Snowdrop treeHalesia carolina6a
5 to 7.4Sweet gumLiquidambar styraciflua6
4.5 to 7Monterey pinePinus radiata7
4.6 to 6.5Tall stewartiaStewartia monadelpha6 to 8
acidic to neutralJapanese snowballStyrax japonicus5b to 9

4Shrubs

Shrubs that tolerate acidic soil.
pH LevelCommon NameBotanical NameMinimum
Hardiness Zone
5.5 to 6.5Japanese mapleAcer palmatum var. dissectum5b to 8
3 to 7.9Bog rosemaryAndromeda polifolia ‘Compacta’2
5.5 to 6.5HeatherCalluna vulgaris ‘County Wicklow’4
5.5 to 6.5CamelliaCamellia species8
4.5 to 5.5CassiopeCassiope ‘Edinburgh’5
6.5 to 8California lilacCeanothus (various)4 to 9
3.7 to 7QuinceChaenomeles (various)5
5 to 6HedgesChamaecyparis species5 to 7
4.6 to 6LeatherleafChamaedaphne calyculata3 to 8
5 to 6.5ConifersConifers (various)
6 to 7.5DogwoodCornus (various)5 to 9
5.1 to 5.5Irish HeathDaboeccia cantabrica ‘Bicolor’6
5 to 7.4DisanthusDisanthus cercidifolius (conifer)5 to 8
4.4 to 5.6Chilean firebushEmbothrium coccineum7b
4.5 to 6Furin-tsutsujiEnkianthus campanulatus4 to 7
4.5 to 5.5Bell heather, Twisted heathErica cinerea and cultivars5
5 to 7Witch alderFothergilla major4 to 8
5 to 7Witch alderFothergilla gardenia5b
4.5 to 6WintergreenGaultheria procumbens3 to 9
5 to 7.4Witch hazelHamamelis species4 to 9
5.2 to 5.5Hydrangea (blue flowers)Hydrangea (various)3 to 9
3.5 to 7.2HollyIlex (various)3
<6.8Sheep laurelKalmia angustifolia5 to 8
5 to 7Calico bushKalmia latifolia5b
4.5 to 6.5LeucothoeLeucothoe (various)5 to 8
5.5 to 6LithodoraLithodora diffusa ‘Heavenly blue’7
5 to 6MagnoliaMagnolia (various)4 to 10
3.5 to 6Bog myrtleMyrica gale2 to 9
4.5 to 6.5NinebarkPhysocarpus opulifolius ‘Dart’s Gold’2 to 8
5 to 6PierisPieris ‘Forest Flame’5 to 8
5 to 6PierisPieris Japonica ‘Blush’5b
5.5 to 7.5PyracanthaPyracantha (various)6 to 9
6.5Currant and GooseberryRibes (various)5 to 9
4.5 to 6RhododendronRhododendron species7
5 to 7.4SkimmiaSkimmia (various)7
6.1 to 7.8RowanSorbus vilmorinii7
6.5 to 7LilacSyringa (various)3 to 7
4 to 5Red bilberryVaccinium parvifolium5 to 9

5Climbers

pH LevelCommon NameBotanical NameMinimum Hardiness Zone
5.1 to 5.5Coral plantBerberidopsis corallina8 to 9
5.6 to 6Lantern treeCrinodendron hookerianum8 to 9
very acid to neutralTaiqueDesfontainia spinosa7 to 10

6Perennials

Flowering plants that tolerate acidic soil.
pH LevelCommon NameBotanical NameMinimum Hardiness Zone
6.5 to 7.5Bear’s breechesAcanthus mollis6 to 10
5.6 to 6Plume thistleCirsium rivulare4 to 8
6.6 to 7ClematisClematis (various)4 to 9
6 to 7.5DianthusDianthus (various)3 to 9
slightly acidicFoxgloveDigitalis (biennial)4 to 8
6 to 7ConeflowerEchinacea purpurea3 to 9
5.1 to 5.5GentianGentiana sino-ornata3 to 9
<6.0Bowman’s rootGillenia trifoliata5 to 9
5.2 to 5.5Hydrangea (blue flowers)Hydrangea species3 to 9
6.8IrisIris (various)3 to 8
6 to 7MuscariLiriope muscari5 to 10
<6.8False spikenardSmilacina racemosa2 to 8
<6.8Stinking BenjaminTrillium erectum4 to 9
5.5 to 7Merrybells, BellwortUvularia grandiflora3 to 9

7Aquatic & Bog Plants

pH LevelCommon NameBotanical NameMinimum Hardiness Zone
6.1 to 6.5Royal fernOsmunda regalis3 to 9
3 to 5Pitcher plantSarraccenia flava6

That’s quite a list. There are a lot more options for slightly acidic soil than alkaline, so count yourself lucky if yours leans this way.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

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Examples of plants that grow in acidic soil including magnolia, blueberry, and woodland plants.
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