What is a "Limestone Plant"?
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"Calcicole" (limestone-living) plants grow mainly on basic (ie. high pH) soils rich in
calcium carbonate (CaCO3).
"Calcifuge" (limestone-avoiding) plants grow mainly on acidic (low pH) soils.
"Soil indifferent" plants "just don't care". They grow on soils of varying acidity.
It's all about chemistry!
But, it's only indirectly about relative pH and calcium carbonate ("lime").
On calcareous (calcium-rich) soils, concentrations of soluable IRON and PHOSPHORUS are much lower than
required for the adequate growth of plants. Calcicole plants, but not calcifuge plants,
have developed ways of modifying their soil environment in order to allow for greater uptake
of these critical nutrients. Additionally, on calcareous soils, calcifuge plants are unable to avoid an
excessive uptake of calcium.
On acidic soils, abundant soluable ALUMINUM (and possibly iron and manganese), and ACIDITY, are highly
detrimental to calcicole plants, but tolerable to calcifuge plants.
But, it's a very complicated business. It's important to note that science really doesn't have it completely figured out yet.
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