ericaceous

Adjective

1. Of or pertaining to the heath family (Ericaceae).
2. Acid-loving, thriving in acidic conditions.
   • Ericaceous plants include camellias, hollies, hydrangeas, and maples as well as members of the Ericaceae.
   • Ralph E. Martin, a New Jersey engineer and gardener, concurs that coffee grounds for general garden and lawn use are too acid. He recommends small quantities for ericaceous (acid-loving) ornamentals. - 1975, Joan Lee...
   • Many people long to grow some of these beautiful ericaceous (acid-loving) plants, but think they can't because they don't have the appropriate soil. - 1999, Steve Bradley, Alan Titchmarsh, Ground Force Weekend Workbook,...
3. acidic, acid-based
   • Camellias thrive when fed with an ericaceous fertiliser.
   • Acid-loving plants such as camellias, heathers, azaleas and rhododendrons are best planted in an ericaceous (acid) potting mix. - 2004, John Mason, Nursery Management, →ISBN, page 144:
   • Most fruits like a soil that is slightly acid to neutral 6–7 pH. These moorland plants, however, like an ericaceous (acid) soil with a pH more towards 5. - 2009, John Harrison, The Essential Allotment Guide: How to Get...