10 flowering plants suitable for alkaline soil - friends in the north, don't miss out

The vast majority of flowering plants prefer slightly acidic soil, some prefer neutral soil, and only a very few plants can grow in weakly alkaline soil. When soil is on the alkaline side, leaves easily turn yellow, but the following flowering plants actually prefer weakly alkaline soil and can bloom and grow vigorously even in alkaline soil.

1. Deutzia 'Iceberg' (Deutzia)

Its name sounds quite nice, and its flowers look bright and fresh. It is an easy-care flowering plant, generally growing in China's Shandong, Hebei and Liaoning regions, and it can also grow in the northeast.

The flowers of Deutzia 'Iceberg' are generally white or pink. It likes weakly alkaline soil and has a certain tolerance to salt and alkali.

Deutzia 'Iceberg' likes plenty of light but also has good shade tolerance. It likes loose, well-drained soil and should be kept from waterlogged soil. It has strong cold tolerance and produces brilliant small flowers in May to June.

2. Bluebeard (Caryopteris)

Bluebeard is a perennial plant whose flowers carry a fascinating fresh fragrance. It has aromatic gray-green leaves and produces strings of blue-purple flowers in summer and autumn that look especially enchanting. It can also grow in weakly alkaline soil, though it will grow better with the addition of appropriate peat moss or compost, and some pine needles can be spread on the soil surface.

3. Clematis

Clematis likes neutral or weakly alkaline soil; growing it in slightly acidic soil actually affects it adversely, so appropriate wood ash should be added to adjust the soil's acidity and alkalinity and avoid the soil being on the acidic side. There are many varieties of clematis, and you can choose one suited to your local climate conditions. It produces brilliant flowers in late spring.

4. Forsythia

Forsythia has particularly good adaptability to the environment and can grow well in all kinds of soil. Although it also grows quite well in neutral soil, forsythia is suited to growing in alkaline soil. It is a shrub-type flowering plant that needs no pruning in daily care. It should be grown in a spot with plenty of sunlight and good drainage, and in early spring it produces enchanting strings of golden-yellow flowers.

5. Barberry

It is an ornamental low-growing small shrub that can grow well in alkaline soil. It has lush leaves that can change color; its foliage turns an enchanting red when frost arrives. It likes a sunny environment but can also grow in partial shade.

6. Saffron crocus

Saffron crocus is a plant grown from corms and has plump, round bulbs. It can grow in neutral or weakly alkaline soil, and with proper care it produces vivid flowers in early spring.

If the soil you are cultivating it in is on the acidic side, you need to add appropriate wood ash to adjust the pH, and grow it in a ventilated spot with appropriate light.

7. Red tip photinia

Red tip photinia is a very common landscape plant. It can stay evergreen all year and is a very cold-tolerant plant. If given plenty of sunlight, its leaves can also change color. It can grow vigorously in alkaline soil too. If the soil is relatively strongly alkaline, it will produce leaves with green or yellow veins; conversely, the leaves easily turn red.

8. Lilac

Growing lilac requires as much sunlight as possible and loose, well-drained soil, so that it can produce brilliant, fragrant flowers in spring. Its flowers are very suitable for cut flowers and easily attract butterflies.

Lilac likes fertile soil and grows especially well in both neutral and alkaline soil. If the soil is too strongly acidic, wood ash or lime needs to be added to adjust the pH and avoid excessive acidity. Lilac needs a cold winter to go dormant, and only then can it bloom in spring. In the south there are also some new varieties that like warmth.

9. Butterfly bush (Buddleja)

Butterfly bush is actually a small type of Buddleja. It can grow without much light and can grow vigorously even in poor soil in a yard. It is very tolerant of salt and alkali and can grow well in soil on the alkaline side, yet it can also survive in acidic soil, though its leaves easily turn yellow and it will grow very poorly. It is best cultivated in alkaline soil.

10. Boston ivy

Boston ivy also likes alkaline soil. It grows easily, has extremely strong adaptability to the environment, and spreads easily. In autumn its leaves turn an enchanting red or black-purple.

Caring for Boston ivy requires plenty of sunlight, which promotes growth. Avoid growing it beside walls, otherwise it will be very difficult to remove and can easily cause great damage.