Though this study was commissioned for UK roads, it’s applicable in most countries dependent on their guidelines for invasive and non-invasive planting of species.

The study explains that in heavy traffic, the denser, hairy-leaved ‘Cotoneaster franchetii’, was at least 20% more effective at soaking up pollution compared with other shrubs. Researchers outlined however that the hardy shrub did not make a difference on quieter streets.

So for the green-fingered with road-side gardens – the cotoneaster franchetii which can grow up to four metres in height within 20 years – is ideal to plant to help soak up all that CO2.

Scientists have also found that “ivy wall cover excels at cooling buildings…”

With the plethora of blank canvas building exteriors, there is plenty of scope for – government agencies and the public alike – to begin putting these plans into action. Helping make our man-made landscapes more bearable and breathable. These creeper plants have aerial roots which help them cling to surfaces like walls and fences – making upkeep simple.

Ambjent Malta helped to plant over 22,162 shrubs and trees in 2021, up by nearly 1,000 in 2020 – as reported by Times of Malta.

New species planted by Ambjent include: bean trefoil, Mediterranean asparagus, onion weed, spiny caper, Maltese rock-centaury, tree spurge, ivy, Sicilian silver ragwort, jointed rush, golden samphire, southern tea tree, crystal ice plant, oleander, African wolfbane, great sage, wall rue, common sage, rosemary, lavender cotton, olive-leaved germander, water germander and Mediterranean thyme. The list goes on.

For more guidance on which plants, shrubs and trees best capture carbon please visit: Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) website here.

Cover photo: Parks Malta

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