Plant pH
Different plants grow best with certain soil pH levels. Here is a list of some common types of plants and their optimal pH ranges.
Flowers & Shrubs | Forest Trees and Plants | Fruit | Vegetable Crops | Weeds
Field Crops
| PLANT TYPE |
SOIL pH |
| Alfalfa |
6.2-7.8 |
| Barley |
6.5-7.8 |
| Bean, field |
6.0-7.5 |
| Beets, sugar |
6.5-8.0 |
| Bluegrass, Kentucky |
5.5-7.5 |
| Clover, red |
6.0-7.5 |
| Clover, sweet |
6.5-7.5 |
| Clover, white |
5.6-7.0 |
| Corn |
5.5-7.5 |
| Flax |
5.0-7.0 |
| Oats |
5.0-7.5 |
| Pea, field |
6.0-7.5 |
| Peanut |
5.6-6.6 |
| Rice |
5.0-6.5 |
| Rye |
5.0-7.0 |
| Sorghum |
5.5-7.5 |
| Soybean |
6.0-7.0 |
| Sugar cane |
6.0-8.0 |
| Tobacco |
5.5-7.5 |
| Wheat |
5.5-7.5 |
Flowers & Shrubs
| PLANT TYPE |
SOIL pH |
| African violet |
6.0-7.0 |
| Almond, flowering |
6.0-7.0 |
| Alyssum |
6.0-7.5 |
| Azalea |
4.5-5.0 |
| Barberry, Japanese |
6.0-7.5 |
| Begonia |
5.5-7.0 |
| Burning bush |
5.5-7.5 |
| Calendula |
5.5-7.0 |
| Carnation |
6.0-7.5 |
| Chrysanthemum |
6.0-7.5 |
| Gardenia |
5.0-6.0 |
| Geranium |
6.0-8.0 |
| Holly, American |
5.0-6.0 |
| Ivy, Boston |
6.0-8.0 |
| Lilac |
6.0-7.5 |
| Lily, Easter |
6.0-7.0 |
| Magnolia |
5.0-6.0 |
| Orchid |
4.0-5.0 |
| Phlox |
5.0-6.0 |
| Poinsettia |
6.0-7.0 |
| Quince, flowering |
6.0-7.0 |
| Rhododendron |
4.5-6.0 |
| Rose, hybrid tea |
5.5-7.0 |
| Snapdragon |
6.0-7.5 |
| Snowball |
6.5-7.5 |
| Sweet William |
6.0-7.5 |
| Zinnia |
5.5-7.5 |
Forest Trees & Plants
| PLANT TYPE |
SOIL pH |
| Ash, white |
6.0-7.5 |
| Aspen, American |
3.8-5.5 |
| Beech |
5.0-6.7 |
| Birch, European (white) |
4.5-6.0 |
| Cedar, white |
4.5-5.0 |
| Club moss |
4.5-5.0 |
| Fir, balsam |
5.0-6.0 |
| Fir, Douglas |
6.0-7.0 |
| Heather |
4.5-6.0 |
| Hemlock |
5.0-6.0 |
| Larch, European |
5.0-6.5 |
| Maple, sugar |
6.0-7.5 |
| Moss, sphagnum |
3.5-5.0 |
| Oak, black |
6.0-7.0 |
| Oak, pin |
5.0-6.5 |
| Oak, white |
5.0-6.5 |
| Pine, jack |
4.5-5.0 |
| Pine, loblolly |
5.0-6.0 |
| Pine, red |
5.0-6.0 |
| Pine, white |
4.5-6.0 |
| Spruce, black |
4.0-5.0 |
| Spruce, Colorado |
6.0-7.0 |
| Spruce, white |
5.0-6.0 |
| Sycamore |
6.0-7.5 |
| Tamarack |
5.0-6.5 |
| Walnut, black |
6.0-8.0 |
| Yew, Japanese |
6.0-7.0 |
Fruit
| PLANT TYPE |
SOIL pH |
| Apple |
5.0-6.5 |
| Apricot |
6.0-7.0 |
| Arbor Vitae |
6.0-7.5 |
| Blueberry, high bush |
4.0-5.0 |
| Cherry, sour |
6.0-7.0 |
| Cherry, sweet |
6.0-7.5 |
| Crab apple |
6.0-7.5 |
| Cranberry, large |
4.2-5.0 |
| Peach |
6.0-7.5 |
| Pineapple |
5.0-6.0 |
| Raspberry, red |
5.5-7.0 |
| Strawberry |
5.0-6.5 |
Vegetable Crops
| PLANT TYPE |
SOIL pH |
| Asparagus |
6.0-8.0 |
| Beets, table |
6.0-7.5 |
| Broccoli |
6.0-7.0 |
| Cabbage |
6.0-7.5 |
| Carrot |
5.5-7.0 |
| Cauliflower |
5.5-7.5 |
| Celery |
5.8-7.0 |
| Cucumber |
5.5-7.0 |
| Lettuce |
6.0-7.0 |
| Muskmelon |
6.0-7.0 |
| Onion |
5.8-7.0 |
| Potato |
4.8-6.5 |
| Rhubarb |
5.5-7.0 |
| Spinach |
6.0-7.5 |
| Tomato |
5.5-7.5 |
Weeds
| PLANT TYPE |
SOIL pH |
| Dandelion |
5.5-7.0 |
| Dodder |
5.5-7.0 |
| Foxtail |
6.0-7.5 |
| Goldenrod |
5.0-7.5 |
| Grass, crab |
6.0-7.0 |
| Grass, quack |
5.5-6.5 |
| Horse tail |
4.5-6.0 |
| Milkweed |
4.0-5.0 |
| Mustard, wild |
6.0-8.0 |
| Thistle, Canada |
5.0-7.5 |
Information gathered for NASA’s Soil Science Education Home Page by Christy Spector.
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