What plants are best suited to Alkaline Soil?

What plants are best suited to Alkaline Soil?

Soil pH is an indication of the acidity or alkalinity of the soil measured in pH units. The pH scale goes from 0 to 14.

• Neutral pH is considered pH 7.0
• Acid soil has a pH value below 7.0
• Alkaline soil has a pH value above pH 7.0

Most plants are happy in a slightly acidic to neutral soil measuring 6.5-7.0.

Plants that prefer alkaline soil

• Field maple / Acer campestre
• Norway maple / Acer platanoides varieties
• Sycamore / Acer pseudoplatanus varieties
• Grey alder / Alnus incana
• Speckled alder / Alnus spaethii
• Nettle tree / Celtis australis
• Hazel / Corylus species & varieties
• Hawthorn / Crataegus species & varieties
• Oleaster / Elaeagnus angustifolia
• Ash / Fraxinus species & varieties
• Honey locust / Gleditsia triacanthos varieties
• Black walnut / Juglans nigra
• Common walnut / Juglans regia
• Golden rain tree / Koelreuteria paniculata
• Golden rain / Laburnum species & varieties
• Privet / Ligustrum species & varieties
• Crab apple / Malus species & varieties
• Medlar / Mespilus germanica
• Mulberry / Morus species & varieties
• Foxglove tree / Paulownia tomentosa
• London plane / Platanus acerifolia varieties
• Oriental plane / Platanus orientalis
• Lombardy poplar / Populus nigra ‘Italica’
• Black poplar / Populus nigra
• Flowering cherries / Prunus species & varieties
• Laurels / Prunus laurocerasus & lusitanica
• Oaks / Quercus species & varieties
• Stag’s horn sumach / Rhus typhina
• False acacia / Robinia species & varieties
• White willow / Salix alba varieties
• Japanese pagoda tree / Sophora japonica varieties
• Whitebeam / Sorbus aria varieties
• Service tree / Sorbus domestica
• Lime / Tilia species & varieties
• Lilac / Syringa species & varieties
• Elm / Ulmus species & varieties
• European cranberry bush / Viburnum opulus
• Laurustinus / Viburnum tinus
• Keake / Zelkova serrata varieties

How to tell what pH level your soil is

If you don’t know what type of soil you have in your garden, you can easily find out what type it is by buying a test kit. These kits are inexpensive and widely available at most garden centres.