The hobby gardener can only look forward to magnificent plant growth if the soil meets the individual requirements of the plants. In addition to the supply of nutrients, depending on the pH value of the soil, the addition of lime is often necessary. Because lime neutralizes and facilitates the absorption of nutrients by the plants. It is important to dose lime in the garden with tact and to pay attention to the plants that do not tolerate lime. In the following, we present 10 lime-sensitive plants.
Plants sensitive to lime
1. Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)
The Chinese wisteria is a strong-growing representative of the legumes. Also known as wisteria. The ornamental tree, which originated in China, reaches a height of up to ten meters in Central European gardens. The decorative plants with blue and white flowers are available in specialist shops. Whether in blue or white, the plant is very attractive to bees, butterflies and flower-visiting insects.
- Soil: moist, well-drained, humic, sandy, loamy
- Location: sunny, warm, sheltered from the wind
- Flowering period: May to June
- Planting time: late spring
- Propagation: cuttings
- Height: up to 10 meters
- Use: Flower decoration, climbing plant, wall greening
- Care: water sufficiently, fertilize regularly with rhododendron fertilizer, cut back in spring and autumn, climbing aids required
- Hibernation: hardy
- Diseases/pests: voles, spider mites, aphids
2. Polypodium vulgare (Polypodium vulgare)
The common spotted fern is also called angel sweet, angelica, oak fern or stone fern. The plant is also widespread in Europe. Polypody fern is very popular with garden designers, because the green ground cover makes an excellent contribution to the harmonious appearance of properties. The plant also does not tolerate lime.
- Soil: dry, little humus
- Location: shady to semi-shady
- Flowering time: no flowers
- Planting time: spring
- Propagation: by division
- Height: 10 to 50 centimeters
- Use: leaf decoration, medicinal plant
- Care: water moderately only in long periods of drought
- Hibernation: hardy
- Diseases/pests: scale insects
By the way, the common polypody is also used as a medicinal plant. Its ingredients are used against rheumatism, gout, asthma, bronchitis, hoarseness and skin diseases.
3. Bell heather (Erica tetralix)
When the flowers in the front yard dwindle in autumn, then the time for the pink blooming bell heather begins. Like all erica plants (Ericaceae), however, it is one of the plants that cannot tolerate lime in the soil. The Glockenheide is often referred to as Moorheide, which indicates its preference for moist soil.
- Soil: moist, permeable, humic, peaty
- Location: sunny to semi-sunny
- Flowering period: June to September
- Planting time: late spring
- Propagation: cuttings
- Height: 20 to 50 centimeters
- Use: container plant, ornamental plant, suitable for dried bouquets
- Care: water sufficiently, fertilize regularly with rhododendron fertilizer, cut back in February
- Hibernation: hardy, but winter protection recommended
- Diseases/pests: powdery mildew, aphids
4. Houseleek (Sempervivum)
There is not one houseleek, but more than 60 species with more than 3000 different varieties. It is also known under the names Steinwurz or Dachwurz. Sempervivum species are real beginner plants. Even those who don't have a green thumb will be rewarded with beautiful growth and decorative flowers from the robust plant, which even thrives in extreme locations.
The Sempervivum species that are particularly sensitive to lime in the soil include the cobweb houseleek (Sempervivum arachnoidem), the mountain houseleek (Sempervivum montanum) and the Wulfen houseleek (Sempervivum wulfenii), known as the rock rose.
- Soil: dry, well drained, gravelly
- Location: partially shaded to sunny
- Flowering period: June to September
- Planting time: spring
- Propagation: by daughter rosettes and seeds
- Height: 10 to 60 centimeters depending on the variety
- Use: rock garden, green roof, container plant, medicinal plant
- Care: do not water, do not fertilize
- Hibernation: hardy
- Diseases/pests: none
Did you know that "sempervivum" means "always alive" in Latin?
Large-flowered houseleek, Sempervivum grandiflorum
5. Hydrangea (Hydrangea)
Hydrangeas have made a comeback in recent years. Because flowers were considered old-fashioned for a long time, but today they should not be missing in any garden. Snowball, plate, climbing, panicle or garden hydrangeas enchant with beautiful white, pink, blue and violet flowers. When it comes to maintenance, you can't go wrong either. However, the flowering plant does not like lime in the soil.
- Soil: sandy, loamy, moist
- Location: shady to semi-shady
- Flowering period: July to September
- Planting time: spring
- Propagation: by cuttings
- Height: 1 to 7 meters depending on the variety
- Use: cut flower, container plant
- Care: water regularly and extensively
- Overwintering: overwinter potted plants in cool rooms, protect outdoor plants with fleece
- Diseases/pests: powdery mildew, mites, chlorosis if there is too much lime in the soil
colorful hydrangeas in the garden
tip: The composition of the commercially available rhododendron earth is well matched to the special requirements of lime-sensitive garden plants. If possible, use rainwater for watering. However, you should decalcify other irrigation water beforehand.
6. Camellias (Camellia japonica)
More than 300 camellia species are known. The lime-sensitive plant with the elegant, rose-like flowers comes from Asia. Its leaves were used to make tea as early as the 15th century. This is why she came to Europe. If you design your garden according to the Japanese model, you cannot avoid the beautiful white or pink flowering plant. Camellias have similar requirements to rhododendrons and can be perfectly combined with them.
- Soil: moist, permeable, humic, peaty
- Location: partially shaded to sunny, sheltered from the wind
- Flowering time: March to May
- Planting time: late spring
- Propagation: cuttings
- Height: 1.5 to 6 meters
- Use: container plant, garden shrub, solitary plant
- Care: water sufficiently, fertilize regularly with rhododendron fertilizer, cut back in February
- Overwintering: hardy to -15 °C with winter protection, overwinter potted plants in cool, dark rooms
- Diseases/pests: vine weevil, mealybugs
Camellia, Camellia japonica
7. Toad Lily (Tricyrtis hirta)
Despite its name, the toad lily is considered one of the most elegant garden flowers. It belongs to the lily family and comes from Japan. The toad lily impresses with dotted flowers in white, yellow, pink or purple. The plant also does not tolerate lime in the soil.
- Soil: moist, humic
- Location: shady to semi-shady, sheltered from the wind
- Flowering period: August to October
- Planting time: spring
- Height: up to 1 meter
- Propagation: by division and bulbs
- Use: cut flower
- Care: water well regularly
- Hibernation: frost hardy, but requires winter protection
- Diseases/pests: slugs, lily beetles
8. Magnolias (Magnolia)
Every year in spring the magnolias enchant us with their blooms. If there are no flowers, it may be due to the lime content of the soil. Magnolias are also among the sensitive plants that do not tolerate lime.
Specialist shops offer a wide range of magnolias. Many species thrive in our regions. The most popular varieties in Germany include the Asian-looking star magnolia (Magnolia stellata), the lily-flowered magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora) and the tulip magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana).
- Soil: moist, permeable, humic
- Location: sunny
- Flowering period: April to May or July to August
- Planting time: late spring
- Propagation: cuttings
- Height: 1 to 20 meters
- Use: container plant, ornamental plant
- Care: water sufficiently, fertilize regularly with rhododendron fertilizer, cut back in autumn
- Overwintering: hardy with winter protection, overwinter potted plants in cool, dark rooms
- Diseases/pests: powdery mildew, leaf spot disease, scale insects
Did you know that magnolia plants are one of the oldest known families of flowering plants? Because already 100 million years ago they settled the earth. All deciduous trees known today emerged from this archetypal plant.
9. Rhododendron
Rhododendrons are also among the plants that are sensitive to lime in the soil. However, they prefer slightly acidic soil. More than 1000 species of the decorative shrub, also known as alpine rose, with white, pink or salmon-colored, violet, blue or yellow flowers are known. Among them are small dwarf rhododendrons, as well as large trees. In the Alps, the rust-leaved alpine rose (Rhododendron ferrugineum) and the ciliated alpine rose (Rhododendron hirsutum) can be found. In the mountains, the evergreen shrubs rose blossoms find good conditions despite the harsh climate.
- Soil: slightly moist, permeable, rocky, loamy
- Location: partially shaded to sunny
- Flowering time: March to May
- Planting time: late spring
- Propagation: Offshoots, cuttings, seeds
- Height: up to 3 meters depending on the variety
- Use: container plant, garden shrub
- Care: Water sufficiently, especially during flowering, fertilize regularly
- Hibernation: hardy
- Diseases/pests: Rhododendron cicada, vine weevil, rhododendron lace bug, powdery mildew, chlorosis if the lime content is too high
notice: If yellowing of the leaves is observed in plants that are sensitive to lime, chlorosis may be the cause. This disease shows up, among other things, in lime-sensitive flowers and shrubs if the lime content in the soil is too high.
10. Red Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)
The red dogwood adorns many front gardens and is also one of the lime-sensitive plants. Not the flowers, but the blood-red coloring of the foliage gave the popular tree its name. The white flowers appear in early summer and form a fascinating contrast to the red leaves. Dark blue fruits then develop after flowering, which are of great interest to the birds in the garden.
- Soil: slightly moist, well-drained, loamy
- Location: partially shaded to sunny
- Flowering period: June to July
- Planting time: spring or autumn
- Propagation: offshoots, cuttings
- Height: up to 2.5 meters depending on the variety
- Use: hedge, solitary plant
- Care: Water sufficiently, especially during flowering, fertilize regularly, avoid waterlogging, cut back in autumn
- Hibernation: hardy
- Diseases/pests: powdery mildew
