by Leslie Cox; Friday; April 14, 2017
Most plants will do okay in most soil pH ranges…acidic, neutral, alkaline. However, soil pH does have an impact on how well a plant is able to access necessary nutrients in the soil for its optimum health. Therefore, it is advisable to provide each plant in your garden with its preferred planting conditions. Here in the Pacific Northwest, this means alkaline-loving plants need to have the soil boosted up to at least a pH 6.5…or even higher. Applying wood ashes or scratching some lime into the soil at the drip line will certainly help raise the pH for these plants.
The following list will show which trees and shrubs in your garden would like some specialized treatment.
Latin name | Common name | pH range |
Acacia spp | acacia; wattle | 6.0 – 8.0 |
Acer negundo | boxelder maple | 6.0 – 8.0 |
Acer saccharum | sugar maple | 6.0 – 7.5 |
Berberis spp | barberry | 6.75 – 7.5 |
Buddleja spp | butterfly bush | 6.75 |
Buxus spp | boxwood | 6.75 |
Carya illinoinensis | pecan | 6.4 – 8.0 |
Citrus limon | lemon | 6.0 – 7.5 |
Citrus x sinensis | orange | 6.0 – 7.5 |
Clematis spp | clematis | 6.75 |
Cotoneaster sp | cotoneaster | 6.75 |
Eucalyptus spp | eucalyptus | 6.75 |
Fraxinus spp | ash | 6.0 – 7.5 |
Juglans nigra | black walnut | 6.0 – 8.0 |
Kolkwitzia amabilis | beauty bush | 6.0 – 7.5 |
Laburnum | golden chain | 6.75 – 7.5 |
Malus spp | crabapple | 6.0 – 7.5 |
Parthenocissus tricuspidata | Boston ivy | 6.75 – 7.5 |
Prunus domestica | plum | 6.0 – 8.0 |
Prunus dulcis | almond tree | 6.75 |
Pyrus spp | pear | 6.0 – 7.5 |
Rubus idaeus | red raspberry | 5.5 – 7.0 |
Salix spp | willow | 6.0 – 8.0 |
Spiraea arguta | bridal wreath | 6.75 – 7.5 |
Syringa spp | lilac | 6.75 – 7.0 |
Tilia americana | basswood | 6.0 – 7.5 |