Clay Soils: Plants for Heavy, or Dense Soils
Clay, while generally fairly rich, is also a heavy, dense, cold soil. Drainage can be a problem and plants like lavenders, which hate wet feet, don't thrive without soil amendment to promote aeration and drainage.
The following list for growing plants in heavy soils is slanted toward temperate and warm climates, but can be challenged now by many gardeners who grow some of the heat-tolerant plants as tender perennials in colder zones or overwinter them in the house or greenhouse.
Trees, Plants, and Shrubs for Heavy, Clay Soils
| Trees | Shrubs | Vines | Herbaceous Plants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achras zapota Annona cherimola Araucaria (species) Arecastrum romanzoffianum Blighia sapida Casimoiroa edulis Cassia grandis Cedrus atlantica Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Crinodendron dependens Eriobotrya japonica Eucalyptus polyanthemos Eucalyptus rostrata Eucalyptus sideroxylon Eugenia (species) Ficus (species) Liquidambar styraciflua Magnolia grandiflora Melaleuca leucandendra Michelia champaca Morus rubra Pinus pinea Pinus radiate Pittosporum undulatum Pittosporum viridiflorum Platanus orientalis Prunus caroliniana Pyrus calleryana Taxus baccata stricta Thuja orientalis Tipuana tipu Torreya taxifolia Trachycarpus fortunei Ulmus parvifolia |
Abelia grandiflora Acalpypha hispida Arbutus unedo Arctostaphylos diversifolia Bambusa multiplex Berberis gagnepaini Buddleia (species) Canella winterana Ceanothus arboreus Ceratostigma (species) Cestrum (species) Chaenomeles japonica Chamairopa humilis Clerodendrum (species) Cocculus laurifolius Cornus capitata Cotoneaster (species) Datura suaveolens Dovyalis caffra Duranta (species) Escallonia (species) Fuschia (varieties) Galvesia speciosa Hamelia erecta Hebe (species) Heimia mytrifolia Heteromeles arbutifolia Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Hypericum (species) Ilex (species) Iochroma (species) Lagerstroemia indica Lavandula officinalis Mackaya bella Mahonia (species) Malpighia coccigera Malvaviscus grandiflorus Michelia fuscata Myrsine Africana Oncoba routledgi Osteomeles anthyllidifolia Philyrea latifolia Photinia serrulata Pittosporum heterophyllum Pittosporum tobira Prunus lusitanica Psidium cattleianum Punica granatum Pyracantha (species) Raphiolepis (species) Rhus (species) Ribes (species) Rosa (species) Senecia petasitis Spriaea cantoniensis Stenolobium stans Thevetia nereifolia Viburnum (species) Weigela florida Umbellularia californica Zamia floridana |
Bauhinia corymbosa Campsidium valdivianum Clerodendrum thomsonae Clytostoma callistegioides Doxantha unguis-cati Ficus pumila Jasmium mesneyi Kennedya rubicunda Lonicera (check species) Muehlenbeckia complexa Pandorea (species) Phaedranthus buccinatorius Pyrostegia ignea Thunbergia (species) Wisteria floribunda |
Acidanthera bicolor Agapanthus africanus Ajuga reptans Amaryllis (species) Anemone japonica Aristea eckloni Aster gracillimus Aquilegia chrysantha Brodiaea (species) Bergenia cordifolia Brunsvigia rosea Campanula poscharskyana Celosia (species) Chrysanthemum (species) Cichorium intybus Cortaderia selloana Crinum (species) Cyperus (species) Dahlia pinnata Dianella intermedia Dianthus (species) Elisena longipetala Eupatorium sordidum Euphorbia (species) Geum (varieties Gladiolus (species) Hedychium (species) Hemerocalis aurantiaca Kniphofia uvaria Lobelia erinus Mentha pulegium Nepeta mussini Nerine sarniensis Oenothera hookeri Origanum dictamnus Penstemon (species) Petasitis fragrana Petunia hybrida Phormium tenax Ranunculus (species) Rehmannia angulata Schizanthus wisetonensis Senecio cineraria Sisyrinchium (species) Sternbergia lutea Veronica (species) Woodwardia radicans Zephyranthes candida Zebrina pendula |
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