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pH preference of various plants

Plants have their own soil pH perference. If they are not grown on soil of the correct acidity, the amount of nutrients available for their absorption will decreases. The following list summarizes the soil pH preference of different plants. However, this is not an exclusive list.

Flowers, Ornamental Trees, & Shrubs

• Abelia 6.0 - 8.0
• Acacia 6.0 - 8.0
• Acanthus 6.0 - 7.0
• Aconitum 5.0 - 6.0
• Adonis 6.0 - 8.0
• Ageratum 6.0 - 7.5
• Ailanthus 6.0 - 7.5
• Ajuga 4.0 - 6.0
• Althea 6.0 - 7.5
• Alyssum 6.0 - 7.5
• Amaranthus 6.0 - 6.5
• Anchusa 6.0 - 7.5
• Androsace 5.0 - 6.0
• Anemone 6.0 - 7.5
• Anthyllis 5.0 - 6.0
• Arbutus 4.0 - 6.0
• Arenaria 6.0 - 8.0
• Aristea 6.0 - 7.5
• Armeria 6.0 - 7.5
• Arnica 5.0 - 6.5
• Asperula 6.0 - 8.0
• Asphodoline 6.0 - 8.0
• Aster 5.5 - 7.5
• Aubrieta 6.0 - 7.5
• Avena 6.0 - 7.5
• Azalea 4.5 - 6.0
• Beauty Bush 6.0 - 7.5
• Bergenia 6.0 - 7.5
• Bluebell 6.0 - 7.5
• Broom 5.0 - 6.0
• Buddleia 6.0 - 7.0
• Buphthalum 6.0 - 8.0
• Calendula 5.5 - 7.0
• Camassis 6.0 - 8.0
• Candytuft 6.0 - 7.5
• Canna 6.0 - 8.0
• Canterbury Bells 6.0 - 7.5
• Carnation 6.0 - 7.5
• Catalpa 6.0 - 8.0
• Celosia 6.0 - 7.0
• Centaurea 5.0 - 6.5
• Cerastium 6.0 - 7.0
• Chrysanthemum 6.0 - 7.0
• Cissus 6.0 - 7.5
• Cistus 6.0 - 7.5
• Clarkia 6.0 - 6.5
• Clianthus 6.0 - 7.5
• Clematis 5.5 - 7.0
• Colchicum 5.5 - 6.5
• Columbine 6.0 - 7.0
• Convolvulus 6.0 - 8.0
• Coreopsis 5.0 - 6.0
• Coronilla 6.5 - 7.5
• Corydalis 6.0 - 8.0
• Cosmos 5.0 - 8.0
• Cotoneaster 6.0 - 8.0
• Crab Apple 6.0 - 7.5
• Crocus 6.0 - 8.0
• Cynoglossum 6.0 - 7.5
• Daffodil 6.0 - 6.5
• Dahlia 6.0 - 7.5
• Day Lily 6.0 - 8.0
• Delphinium 6.0 - 7.5
• Deutzia 6.0 - 7.5
• Dianthus 6.0 - 7.5
• Dogwood 5.0 - 7.0
• Edelweiss 6.5 - 7.5
• Elaeagnus 5.0 - 7.5
• Enkianthus 5.0 - 6.0
• Erica 4.5 - 6.0
• Euphorbia 6.0 - 7.0
• Everlasting Flower 5.0 - 6.0
• Firethorn 6.0 - 8.0
• Forget-me-not 6.0 - 8.0
• Forsythia 6.0 - 8.0
• Foxglove 6.0 - 7.5
• Fritillaria 6.0 - 7.5
• Fuchsia 5.5 - 6.5
• Gaillardia 6.0 - 7.5
• Gazania 5.5 - 7.0
• Gentiana 5.0 - 7.5
• Geum 6.0 - 7.5
• Gladiolus 6.0 - 7.0
• Globularia 5.5 - 7.0
• Godetia 6.0 - 7.5
• Golden Rod 5.0 - 7.0
• Gourd 6.0 - 7.0
• Grass, Bent 5.5 - 6.5
• Grass, Clover 6.0 - 7.0
• Grass, Fescue 6.0 - 7.5
• Grass, Meadow 6.0 - 7.5
• Grass, Pampas 6.0 - 8.0
• Grass, Rye 6.0 - 7.0
• Gypsophila 6.0 - 7.5
• Hawthorn 6.0 - 7.0
• Helianthus 5.0 - 7.0
• Helleborus 6.0 - 7.5
• Holly 5.0 - 6.5
• Hollyhock 6.0 - 7.5
• Honeysuckle 6.0 - 7.5
• Hyacinth 6.5 - 7.5
• Hydrangea, Blue 4.0 - 5.0
• Hydrangea, Pink 6.0 - 7.0
• Hydrangea, White 6.5 - 8.0
• Hypericum 5.5 - 7.0
• Iris 5.0 - 6.5
• Ivy 6.0 - 7.5
• Juniper 5.0 - 6.5
• Kalmia 4.5 - 5.5
• Kerria 6.0 - 7.0
• Laburnum 6.0 - 7.0
• Laurel 5.0 - 6.0
• Lavender 6.5 - 7.5
• Listris 5.5 - 7.5
• Ligustrum 5.0 - 7.5
• Lilac 6.0 - 7.5
• Lily Of The Valley 4.5 - 6.0
• Lithospernum 5.0 - 6.5
• Lobelia 6.0 - 7.5
• Lupinus 5.5 - 7.0
• Magnolia 5.0 - 6.0
• Mahonia 6.0 - 7.0
• Marguerite 6.0 - 7.5
• Marigold 5.5 - 7.0
• Molinia 4.0 - 5.0
• Moraea 5.5 - 6.5
• Morning Glory 6.0 - 7.5
• Moss 6.0 - 8.0
• Moss, Sphagnum 3.5 - 5.0
• Myosotis 6.0 - 7.0
• Narcissus 6.0 - 7.5
• Nasturtium 5.5 - 7.5
• Nicotiana 5.5 - 6.5
• Pachysandra 5.0 - 8.0
• Paeonia 6.0 - 7.5
• Pansy 5.5 - 7.0
• Passion Flower 6.0 - 8.0
• Pasque Flower 5.0 - 6.0
• Paulownia 6.0 - 8.0
• Pea, Sweet 6.0 - 7.5
• Penstemon 5.5 - 7.0
• Paeonia 6.0 - 7.5
• Periwinkle 6.0 - 7.5
• Petunia 6.0 - 7.5
• Pinks 6.0 - 7.5
• Polygonum 6.0 - 7.5
• Polyanthus 6.0 - 7.5
• Poppy 6.0 - 7.5
• Portulaca 5.5 - 7.5
• Primrose 5.5 - 6.5
• Primula 6.0 - 7.5
• Privet 6.0 - 7.0
• Prunella 6.0 - 7.5
• Prunus 6.5 - 7.5
• Pyracantha 5.0 - 6.0
• Pyrethrum 6.0 - 7.5
• Red Hot Poker 6.0 - 7.5
• Rhododendron 4.5 - 6.0
• Rose, Hybrid Tea 5.5 - 7.0
• Rose, Climbing 6.0 - 7.0
• Rose, Rambling 5.5 - 7.0
• Salvia 6.0 - 7.5
• Saintpaulia 6.0 - 7.0
• Scabiosa 5.0 - 7.5
• Sea Grape 5.0 - 6.5
• Sedum 6.0 - 8.0
• Snapdragon 5.5 - 7.0
• Snowdrop 6.0 - 8.0
• Soapwort 6.0 - 7.5
• Speedwell 5.5 - 6.5
• Spiraea 6.0 - 7.5
• Spruce 4.0 - 5.0
• Stock 6.0 - 7.5
• Stonecrop 6.5 - 7.5
• Sumach 5.0 - 6.5
• Sunflower 6.0 - 7.5
• Sweet William 6.0 - 7.5
• Syringe 6.0 - 8.0
• Tamarix 6.5 - 8.0
• Tobacco 5.5 - 7.5
• Trillium 5.0 - 6.5
• Tulip 6.0 - 7.0
• Viburnum 5.0 - 7.5
• Viola 5.5 - 6.5
• Violet 5.0 - 7.5
• Virginia Creeper 5.0 - 7.5
• Wallflower 5.5 - 7.5
• Water Lily 5.5 - 6.5
• Weigela 6.0 - 7.0
• Wistaria 6.0 - 8.0
• Zinnia 5.5 - 7.5

Fruits

• Almond (resistant to drought, cold temperatures and high soil pH) 7.90 - 8.50
• Apple 5.0 - 6.5
• Apricot 6.0 - 7.0
• Avocado 6.0 - 7.5
• Banana 5.0 - 7.0
• Blackberry 5.0 - 6.0
• Cherry 6.0 - 7.5
• Cranberry 5.5 - 6.5
• Currant, Black 6.0 - 8.0
• Currant, Red 5.5 - 7.0
• Currant, White 6.0 - 8.0
• Damson 6.0 - 7.5
• Gooseberry 5.0 - 6.5
• Grapevine 6.0 - 7.0
• Grapefruit 6.0 - 7.5
• Hazelnut 6.0 - 7.0
• Hop 6.0 - 7.5
• Lemon 6.0 - 7.0
• Lychee 6.0 - 7.0
• Mango 5.0 - 6.0
• Melon 5.5 - 6.5
• Mulberry 6.0 - 7.5
• Nectarine 6.0 - 7.5
• Papaw 6.0 - 7.5
• Peach 6.0 - 7.5
• Pear 6.0 - 7.5
• Pineapple 5.0 - 6.0
• Plum 6.0 - 7.5
• Pomegranate 5.5 - 6.5
• Quince 6.0 - 7.5
• Raspberry 5.0 - 6.5
• Rhubarb 5.5 - 7.0
• Strawberry 5.0 - 7.5
• Watermelon 5.5 - 6.5

Houseplants & Greenhouse Plants

• Abutilon 5.5 - 6.5
• Acorus 5.0 - 6.5
• Aechmea 5.0 - 5.5
• African Violet 6.0 - 7.0
• Aglaonema 5.0 - 6.0
• Amaryllis 5.5 - 6.5
• Anthurium 5.0 - 6.0
• Aphelandra 5.0 - 6.0
• Araucaria 5.0 - 6.0
• Asparagus Fern 6.0 - 8.0
• Aspidistra 4.0 - 5.5
• Azalea 4.5 - 6.0
• Begonia 5.5 - 7.0
• Bird Of Paradise 6.0 - 6.5
• Bishop's Cap 5.0 - 6.0
• Black-eyed Susan 5.5 - 7.5
• Blood Leaf 5.5 - 6.5
• Bottlebrush 6.0 - 7.5
• Bougainvillea 5.5 - 7.5
• Bromeliads 5.0 - 7.5
• Butterfly Flower 6.0 - 7.5
• Cacti 4.5 - 6.0
• Calceolaria 6.0 - 7.0
• Caladium 6.0 - 7.5
• Calla Lily 6.0 - 7.0
• Camellia 4.5 - 5.5
• Campanula 5.5 - 6.5
• Capsicum 5.0 - 6.5
• Cardinal Flower 5.0 - 6.0
• Castor Oil Plant 5.5 - 6.5
• Century Plant 5.0 - 6.5
• Chinese Primrose 6.0 - 7.5
• Christmas Cactus 5.0 - 6.5
• Cineraria 5.5 - 7.0
• Clerodendrum 5.0 - 6.0
• Clivia 5.5 - 6.5
• Cockscomb 6.0 - 7.0
• Coffee Plant 5.0 - 6.0
• Coleus 6.0 - 7.0
• Columnea 4.5 - 5.5
• Coral Berry 5.5 - 7.5
• Crassula 5.0 - 6.0
• Creeping Fig 5.0 - 6.0
• Croton 5.0 - 6.0
• Crown Of Thorns 6.0 - 7.5
• Cuphea 6.0 - 7.5
• Cyclamen 6.0 - 7.0
• Cyperus 5.0 - 7.5
• Dieffenbachia 5.0 - 6.0
• Dipladenia 6.0 - 7.5
• Dizygotheca 6.0 - 7.5
• Dracaena 5.0 - 6.0
• Easter Lily 6.0 - 7.0
• Elephant's Ear 5.0 - 6.0
• Episcia 6.0 - 7.0
• Eucalyptus 6.0 - 8.0
• Euonymus 5.5 - 7.0
• Fern, Bird's Nest 5.0 - 5.5
• Fern, Boston 5.5 - 6.5
• Fern, Button 6.0 - 8.0
• Fern, Christmas 6.0 - 7.5
• Fern, Cloak 6.0 - 7.5
• Fern, Feather 5.5 - 6.5
• Fern, Hart's Tongue 7.0 - 8.0
• Fern, Holly 4.5 - 6.0
• Fern, Maidenhair 6.0 - 8.0
• Fern, Rabbits Foot 6.0 - 7.5
• Fern, Spleenwort 6.0 - 7.5
• Fig 5.0 - 6.0
• Fittonia 5.5 - 6.5
• Freesia 6.0 - 7.5
• Gardenia 5.0 - 6.0
• Genista 6.5 - 7.5
• Geranium 6.0 - 8.0
• Gloxinia 5.5 - 6.5
• Grape Ivy 5.0 - 6.5
• Grevillea 5.5 - 6.5
• Gynura 5.5 - 6.5
• Hedera (Ivy) 6.0 - 7.5
• Heliotropium 6.0 - 8.0
• Helxine 5.0 - 5.5
• Herringbone Plant 5.0 - 6.0
• Hibiscus 6.0 - 8.0
• Hoya 5.0 - 6.5
• Impatiens 5.5 - 6.5
• Iresine 5.0 - 6.5
• Ivy Tree 6.0 - 7.0
• Jacaranda 6.0 - 7.5
• Japanese Sedge 6.0 - 8.0
• Jasminum 6.0 - 7.5
• Jerusalem Cherry 6.0 - 7.5
• Jessamine 5.5 - 7.0
• Kalanchoe 6.0 - 7.5
• Kangaroo Thorn 6.0 - 8.0
• Kangaroo Vine 5.0 - 6.5
• Lace Flower 6.0 - 7.0
• Lantana 5.5 - 7.0
• Laurus 5.0 - 6.0
• Lemon Plant 6.0 - 7.5
• Mimosa 5.0 - 7.0
• Mind Your Own Business 5.0 - 5.5
• Monsters 5.0 - 6.0
• Myrtle 6.0 - 8.0
• Never Never Plant 5.0 - 6.0
• Nicodemia 6.0 - 8.0
• Oleander 6.0 - 7.5
• Oplismenus 5.0 - 6.0
• Orchid 4.5 - 5.5
• Oxalis 6.0 - 8.0
• Palms 6.0 - 7.5
• Pandanus 5.0 - 6.0
• Patient Lucy 5.5 - 6.5
• Peacock Plant 5.0 - 6.0
• Pellionia 5.0 - 6.0
• Peperomia 5.0 - 6.0
• Philodendron 5.0 - 6.0
• Piles 6.0 - 8.0
• Plumbago 5.5 - 6.5
• Podocarpus 5.0 - 6.5
• Poinsettia 6.0 - 7.5
• Polyscias 6.0 - 7.5
• Prayer Plant 5.0 - 6.0
• Punica 5.5 - 6.5
• Rubber Plant 5.0 - 6.0
• Sansevieria 4.5 - 7.0
• Saxifraga 6.0 - 8.0
• Schizanthus 6.0 - 7.0
• Scindapsus 5.0 - 6.0
• Selaginella 6.0 - 7.0
• Shrimp Plant 5.5 - 6.5
• Spanish Bayonet 6.0 - 7.5
• Spider Plant 6.0 - 7.5
• Succulents 5.0 - 6.5
• Syngonium 5.0 - 6.0
• Thunbergia 5.5 - 7.5
• Tolmiea 5.0 - 6.0
• Tradescantia 5.0 - 6.0
• Umbrella Tree 5.0 - 7.5
• Venus Fly Trap 4.0 - 5.0
• Weeping Fig 5.0 - 6.0
• Yucca 6.0 - 7.5
• Zebrina 5.0 - 6.0

Vegetable & Herb

• Artichoke 6.5 - 7.5
• Asparagus 6.0 - 8.0
• Basil 5.5 - 6.5
• Bean 6.0 - 7.5
• Beetroot 6.0 - 7.5
• Broccoli 6.0 - 7.0
• Brussels 6.0 - 7.5
• Cabbage 6.0 - 7.5
• Calabrese 6.5 - 7.5
• Carrot 5.5 - 7.0
• Cauliflower 5.5 - 7.5
• Celery 6.0 - 7.0
• Chicory 5.0 - 6.5
• Chinese Cabbage 6.0 - 7.5
• Chives 6.0 - 7.0
• Corn, Sweet 5.5 - 7.5
• Cress 6.0 - 7.0
• Courgettes 5.5 - 7.0
• Cucumber 5.5 - 7.5
• Fennel 5.0 - 6.0
• Garlic 5.5 - 7.5
• Ginger 6.0 - 8.0
• Horseradish 6.0 - 7.0
• Kale 6.0 - 7.5
• Kohlrabi 6.0 - 7.5
• Leek 6.0 - 8.0
• Lentil 5.5 - 7.0
• Lettuce 6.0 - 7.0
• Marjoram 6.0 - 8.0
• Marrow 6.0 - 7.5
• Millet 6.0 - 6.5
• Mint 7.0 - 8.0
• Mushroom 6.5 - 7.5
• Mustard 6.0 - 7.5
• Olive 5.5 - 6.5
• Onion 6.0 - 7.0
• Paprika 7.0 - 8.5
• Parsley 5.0 - 7.0
• Parsnip 5.5 - 7.5
• Pea 6.0 - 7.5
• Peanut 5.0 - 6.5
• Pepper 5.5 - 7.0
• Peppermint 6.0 - 7.5
• Pistacio 5.0 - 6.0
• Potato, Sweet 4.5 - 6.0
• Potato 5.5 - 6.0
• Pumpkin 5.5 - 7.5
• Radish 6.0 - 7.0
• Rice 5.0 - 6.5
• Rosemary 5.0 - 6.0
• Sage 5.5 - 6.5
• Shallot 5.5 - 7.0
• Sorghum 5.5 - 7.5
• Soybean 5.5 - 6.5
• Spearmint 5.5 - 7.5
• Spinach 6.0 - 7.5
• Swede 5.5 - 7.0
• Thyme 5.5 - 7.0
• Tomato 5.5 - 7.5
• Turnip 5.5 - 7.0
• Watercress 6.0 - 8.0

Note:

1) If the soil is overly acidic, lime or lime compounds (ground limestone, marl, hydrated lime) should be added to raise the pH or reduce the acidity of the soil.

2) If the soil is overly alkaline, sulphur or coffee should be used to lower pH or increase the acidity of the soil. The PH of coffee is anywhere between 4.9 to 6. I personally prefer coffee as a soil amendment, because it is one of the most convenient sources of nitrogen.

3) Whilst different plants have different PH preference, most garden crops will do well with a soil pH of 6.2 to 6.8.

4) A pH of 6.5 is found to be the most favorable for the availability of all plant nutrients [1].

Reference [1]: http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/resmgmt/publist/600series/637100-1.pdf