10 Native Trees for Acidic Soils in Your Landscape

Acidic soils usually mean a harder road for gardeners to find adaptable shrubs and trees. Below are some native trees that do well in acidic soils, for you to select which one is right for your garden or landscape. Each has planting advice, and general overview about the tree. All are native trees and will do well in the harshness of an acidic soil spot.

Quercus prinus L. (Chesnut Oak)

Kingdom Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelidae -

Order Fagales -

Family Fagaceae - Beech family

Genus Quercus L. - oak

Species Quercus prinus L. - chestnut oak

This tree gets up to 60-70 feet tall and loves full sun and well-drained acidic soil. It has deciduous yellow green foliage and a round and dense growth habit. Its acorns are loved by wildlife and used as a food source. There is tremendous yellow orange fall color.

Quercus rubra L. (Northern Red Oak)

Kingdom Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelidae -

Order Fagales -

Family Fagaceae - Beech family

Genus Quercus L. - oak

Species Quercus rubra L. - northern red oak

This tree gets up to 60 feet tall and needs a spacing of 80 feet wide. It loves full sun and rich, loamy, moist, acidic soil. It has great red fall color and is a good timber tree for furniture and flooring. There are yellow brown catkins for flowers in April, with wildlife eating the acorn fruits. It is a moderately fast grower and easy to transplant. BEWARE: Parts are poisonous if ingested.

Quercus shumardii Buckl. (Shumard's Oak)

Kingdom Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelidae -

Order Fagales -

Family Fagaceae - Beech family

Genus Quercus L. - oak

Species Quercus shumardii Buckl. - Shumard's oak