Phytoremediation, using plants to extract heavy metals, such as Cd, from contaminated soils, is an emerging technology. Experiments were conducted in order to investigate the effect of Cd concentration in soil on growth and the absorption of Cd, Zn, and Cu by the shoots. The experiments were conducted on 8 Asteraceae species using Cd concentrations of 3.4, 6.5, and 9.5 μg g-1 of dry soil. A higher Cd concentration in the soil resulted in an increase in the Cd concentration in the shoots of the 8 species and an increase in the dry weight and Cd absorption of the shoots of Pericallis hybrida, Crepis rubra, and Gazania spp. The higher Cd absorption of the shoot increased Zn absorption of the shoot in Pericallis hybrida and Crepis rubra, and Cu absorption of that in Cosmos bipinnatus, Crepis rubra and Gazania spp. It is suggested that Pericallis hybrida, Crepis rubra, and Gazania spp. are suitable for Cd phytoremediation and that Cd accumulation in the shoots of Crepis rubra and Gazania spp., led to the accumulation of Zn and Cu
