Patent US 5,720,130

The invention provides a method for reducing soil contamination that comprises: establishing growing plants in the contaminated soil, the plants being selected from the group consisting of Hibiscus species in sections Meunchhusia or Striati or hybrids obtained by a cross with one or more species within sections Meunchhusia or Striati; severing and removing hibiscus plant material from the site. In preferred embodiments, the selected plants are hybrids. Especially preferred plants are selected from the group consisting of H. coccineus, H. cubensis, H. dasycalyx, H. laevis, and H. moscheutos. Contaminates may include metals, metal salts, nonmetals and organic wastes.