Rare earth elements (REEs) present a group of nonessential metals for the growth and development of plants. At high concentrations, they can induce internal stress and disturb the physiological and biochemical mechanisms in plants. The potential uptake of lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) by the horticultural plant Helianthus annuus and the effect of these elements on its growth, its absorption of macroelements, and the contents of phenolic compounds and flavonoids were assessed. The plants were exposed to 0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 µM of La and Ce for 14 days. The results showed a remarkable accumulation of the two REEs, especially in the roots, which was found to be positively correlated with the total phenolic compound and flavonoid content in the plant shoots and roots. The plant's growth parameter patterns (such as dry weight and water content); the levels of potassium, calcium, and magnesium; and the tolerance index varied with the concentrations of the two studied elements. According to the tolerance index values, H. annuus had more affinity to La than to Ce. Although these metals were accumulated in H. annuus tissues, this Asteraceae plant cannot be considered as a hyperaccumulator species of these two REEs, since the obtained REE content in the plant's upper parts was less than 1000 mg·Kg-1 DW.
Keywords: REE uptake; cerium; lanthanum; mineral absorption; secondary metabolism; tolerance index.