Abstract: The dust-retaining abilities of six evergreen shrubs in road greenbelt in Chengyang district of Qingdao city were studied. The results showed that the dust-retaining contents of per unit leaf area was relatively high for Euonymus japonicus and Pyracantha fortuneana,medium for Ligustrum×Vicaryi Hort and Ligustrum japonicum Thunb.,and relatively low for Pittosporum tobira and Photiniax fraseri. The absorbing ability of PM₁₀ for Euonymus japonicus,Pyracantha fortuneana and Ligustrum×vicaryi Hort all exceeded 0.20 g/m²,which was relatively strong. The absorbing ability of PM₁₀ for Euonymus japonicas was approximately 2.5 times than that of Photiniax fraseri. The adsorption capacity of PM₅ for Euonymus japonicus,Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. and Pyracantha fortuneana was relatively strong,whose dust-retaining contents respectively was 0.150,0.139 and 0.137 g/m². Photiniax fraseri was the lowest for 0.056 0 g/m². The adsorption capacity of PM_2.5 for Euonymus japonicus,Pittosporum tobira and Pyracantha fortuneana was relatively strong,the lowest for Photiniax fraseri. Further studies showed that Euonymus japonicus had better absorption for particulates out of its leaves with thick waxy structures,dense stomata as well as slight verrucous protuberances and grooves,While Photiniax fraseri had relatively weak absorption for particulates out of its smooth leaf surface.

Key words: shrub, dust-retaining effects, different particle sizes, Qingdao city