Exploring element accumulation patterns of a metal excluder plant naturally colonizing a highly contaminated soil

► Silene paradoxa plants from a mine dump showed variation in metal concentration. ► Many elements (As, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn) were at the same time above critical limits. ► Multivariate statistics proposed unexpected factors in determining element variation. ► The potential of Silene paradoxa for phytostabilization techniques was evaluated.