Plant Selection for Filter Strip Optimization

Landscape architect and CSN board member Anne Guillette has often pondered the question of “are there specific plants that are better at removing pollutants than others?” Well Anne’s quest for knowledge has finally been satiated! (well…at least for now). A new report, Selection of Plants for Optimization of Vegetative Filter Strips Treating Runoff from Turfgrass by Katy E. Smith et al, discusses a USDA and UMASS Amherst study that looks at the use of particular, “aesthetically acceptable” species of plants in Vegetated Filter Strips (VFS) and their comparative ability to remove four common pesticides from turf grass.

The results of the study show that Blue Flag Iris performed the best of all of the plant species at removing selected pesticides in addition to being a very aesthetically pleasing plant. Read the report to learn more about the Blue Flag Iris “powerhouse performer”.

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