GARDEN DESIGN
ACIDIC AND LOW PH TOLERANT PLANTS.
MORE CHOICES THAN YOU MAY THINK If the soil you have to work with is acidic, ericaceous or low pH don’t look at that as restricting your plant options. Far from it. All is not lost. There are many plant options to choose from that sit happily amongst Rhododendrons and Azaleas providing colour, contrast and some rather interesting and surprising choices. Both Rhododendrons and Azaleas have a lot to offer with a myriad of flower colours, contrasting leaf colours and some deciduous Azaleas have an absolute knockout scent and stunning autumn foliage to boot. But looking further afield there are some surprising plant options to also consider that tolerate acidic soil and low pH. Check out some options provided by Provender Nurseries highlighted below.
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Tree Options. Liquidambar styraciflua are mainly grown for their stunning autumn foliage and interesting corky-like bark. Many reach huge heights and are excellent choices for public spaces as they can also tolerate pollution well. Of particular interest are; Liquidambar styraciflua Slender Silhouette, a recent introduction with a slim upright habit reaching up to 18m but only 2m in width. If something smaller is what is required then Liquidambar styraciflua Gum Ball may fit the bill. A dwarf Liquidambar forming a compact, rounded tree grafted onto a clear stem at a 2m height. Perfect for smaller gardens or creating a formal look. Gleditsia is tolerant of low pH soils and is another pollution tolerant
option for urban areas. Alongside the well known ‘Sunburst’ is a new introduction ‘Skyline’ that has a rounded canopy and an upright habit creating a good size crown perfect for creating shade.
Hedging Options. Ilex crenata is an excellent hedging option and is rapidly outselling Buxus as a compact, evergreen fuss free hedging plant. Available in a range of sizes and similar to Buxus in appearance, Ilex crenata is a great substitute. There are so many different options to choose from that Ilex crenata could cover an article alone! For something with more colour and foliage appeal, Pittosporum are surprisingly tolerant of low pH soils. Pittosporum tenuifolium Elizabeth has wavy edged evergreen foliage with cream – pink leaf margins that
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