Gold (Au) and its chemical derivatives have been a subject of interest since ancient times [1]. The first report on the accumulation of Au in vegetation was published in 1900 [2] and was followed by research on its biogeochemistry, in particular the use of plants as an exploration tool for Au rich ore bodies [3–11] and, more recently, in the context of clean heavy metal separation, mining and remediation technologies. These studies indicated the ability of several plant species to accumulate Au in detectable (i.e. ppb) quantities, including Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus banksiana, Picea mariana, Hordeum vulgare and Phacelia sericea