What is Calcicole?

Calcicole is a plant that requires a soil which is rich in lime for its growth. The word is derived from the Latin ‘to dwell on chalk’. Under acidic conditions Aluminium becomes more soluble and phosphate less. As a consequence, calcicoles grown on acidic soils often develop the symptoms of Aluminium toxicity, i.e. necrosis, and phosphate deficiency, i.e. anthocyanosis (reddening of the leaves) and stunting.

Examples of Calcicole are spindle-tree, clematis, rockrose, box viburnum.