Using Landscape Plants for Phytoremediation – by Bonnie Appleton, Ph.D., Extension Specialist, Virginia Tech, Virginia Beach, VA and Mindy Ruby, Research and Development Manager Filterra Bioretention Systems, Ashland, VA

One means of de-polluting our soils, air, and water is through the use of living organisms, or bioremediation. If the bioremediation process uses plants to contain, degrade, eliminate, or accumulate these pollutants is called phytoremediation. Trees and shrubs in the landscape were evaluated using Filterra, a stormwater management system.