Lime is beneficial and sometimes necessary for plants that like neutral to slightly alkaline soil. But not all plants like these conditions and are sensitive to lime.
In this article you will learn which plants do not like lime: from flowers, vegetables, herbs to fruit and shrubs that do not like lime.
Plants that have a neutral to acidic soil (pH less than 6.0) do not like lime, because it increases the soil pH. Lime-sensitive flowers are, for example, begonias or lily of the valley. Vegetables that do not need lime include cucumbers or radishes. Some herbs, such as parsley or peppermint, also do not like lime, nor do blueberries or rhubarb. Well-known shrubs that are sensitive to lime are azaleas, hydrangeas and rhododendrons.
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Which plants do not like lime?
Simply put, lime in the soil neutralizes the pH or brings it into the alkaline/basic range.
If you want to know exactly how lime works in soil, check out this article.
While many plants like a neutral to alkaline soil and, accordingly, lime, by no means all do.
This is because many plants do not like lime and these are mainly those that prefer more acidic soils, i.e. with a pH of less than about 6.0.
List of the most known lime-sensitive plants
In the following table I have listed the most common lime-sensitive plants. I have distinguished between flowers, vegetables, herbs, fruits and ornamental shrubs that do not like lime.
| Flowers | Vegetables | Herbs | Fruit | Ornamental shrubs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anemones | Pansy | Turnips | Blueberry | Azalene |
| Begonias | Pumpkin | Bearberry | Blackberry | Ferns |
| Angel Trumpet | Radish | Bärwurz | Blueberries | Hydrangeas |
| Erika | Radish | Angelica | Currants | Rhododendrons |
| Fuchsias | Turnips | Heather | Chestnut | |
| Geraniums | Perilla | Cranberries | ||
| Lilies | Parsley | Rhubarb | ||
| Lupines | Peppermint | Watermelons | ||
| Lily of the Valley | Quendel | |||
| Daffodils | Rose Root | |||
| Orchids | Sorrel | |||
| Peonies | Silver Lady Coat | |||
| Phlox | Sundew | |||
| Delphinium | ||||
| Roses | ||||
| Pansy |
Which flowers do not like lime?
Many of the most well-known and popular indoor and outdoor flowers do not like lime, as they prefer neutral to acidic soils.
These include begonias, lilies, lily of the valley, and heathers, for example.
- Anemones
- Begonias
- Angel’s trumpet
- Erica
- Lilies
- Lupines
- Fuchsias
- Geraniums
- Lily of the valley
- Daffodils
- Phlox
- Delphinium
- Pansies
- Roses
- Peonies
Which vegetables do not like lime?
Especially vegetables that are highly nutritious like lime.
On the other hand, there are some vegetables that are sensitive to lime and can therefore cope without it. These are for example cucumbers, pumpkin or radishes.
- Cucumber
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Radish
- Turnip
What herbs do not like lime?
Herbs occur on the different types of soil. Some like stony, barren soils, others like more alkaline soils, and still other herbs like more neutral to acidic soils.
These lime-sensitive herbs include arnica, parsley, heather, and peppermint.
- Arnica
- Bearberry
- Bearwort
- Angelica
- Heather
- Perilla
- Parsley
- Peppermint
- Quender
- Rose root
- Sorrel
- Silver Lady’s Mantle
- Sonnent
Which fruit varieties do not like lime?
Some fruit varieties prefer rather poor soils with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. These lime-sensitive fruit varieties include blueberries, blackberries or rhubarb.
So, as a rule, these fruit varieties should not be limed….
- Blueberry
- Blackberry
- Blueberries
- Currants
- Chestnut
- Cranberries
- Rhubarb
- Watermelon
What shrubs do not like lime?
Some very well-known shrubs do not like lime, or in other words, they prefer rather acidic soils. These lime-sensitive ornamental shrubs include azaleas, ferns, hydrangeas and rhododendrons.
