English

edit

Etymology

edit

Borrowed from New Latin erīcāceus.

Adjective

edit

ericaceous (comparative more ericaceous, superlative most ericaceous)

  1. (botany) Of or pertaining to the heath family (Ericaceae).
  2. (especially of a plant) Acid-loving, thriving in acidic conditions.
    Ericaceous plants include camellias, hollies, hydrangeas, and maples as well as members of the Ericaceae.
    • 1975, Joan Lee Faust, Lisa Oldenburg, The New York times book of indoor & outdoor gardening questions, →ISBN:
      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.
    • 1999, Steve Bradley, Alan Titchmarsh, Ground Force Weekend Workbook, →ISBN, page 103:
      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.
    • 2009, Chris Young, RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Design, →ISBN, page 74:
      Soil acidity is important if you want to grow ericaceous (acid-loving) plants such as Pieris, Camellia, or Rhododendron.
  3. acidic, acid-based
    Camellias thrive when fed with an ericaceous fertiliser.
    • 2004, John Mason, Nursery Management, →ISBN, page 144:
      Acid-loving plants such as camellias, heathers, azaleas and rhododendrons are best planted in an ericaceous (acid) potting mix.
    • 2009, John Harrison, The Essential Allotment Guide: How to Get the Best out of Your Plot, →ISBN:
      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.
    • 2013, Simon Akeroyd, Allotment Handbook, →ISBN:
      If your soil is alkaline, simply grow acid-lovers in containers of ericaceous (acid) potting compost.

Synonyms

edit

See also

edit

References

edit