Lemon-scented geraniums (Pelargonium citriadora) are capable of absorbing and accumulating large amounts of heavy metals from soil. The plant can be an economical, effective and environmentally friendly method of remediating soils. Researchers are the University of Guelph, Ontario, performed greenhouse experiments on healthy lemon-scented geraniums, and the plants proved useful in removing heavy metals from test soils. When watered with various metal solutions, the geraniums were able to accumulate within two weeks up to 32,000 mg of cadmium, 18,700 mg of lead, 6,400 mg of nickel and 650 mg of copper in one kilogram dry weight of plant tissue. The plants exhibited no signs of toxicity or stress and appeared to be tolerant of a wide variety of toxic metals.

Researchers also tested lemon-scented geraniums for their ability to clean up soil containing a variety of metal and organic contaminants. The results mean that the plant is a hyperaccumulator because of its ability to take up and accumulate metal ions in its shoot tisssues in a very high concentration, which makes the geranium very valuable in agriculture. The lemon-scented geranium has several advantages over other identified hyperaccumulators. The plant has a good growth habit and the essential aromatic oils can safely be extracted and the heavy metals retrieved from the plantŐs biomass.

This item, from American Nurseryman, 15 March 1998, was submitted by Lou Ann Koebel.

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