Metals are non‐biodegradable pollutants, with high environmental persistence that have great toxic effects for the environment and humans. Lead and chromium can be found in the banks of rivers contaminated by domestic and industrial discharges. A number of plants are able to remove metals from the ground and accumulate them in their inner tissues without producing phytotoxic effects. Alnus acuminata ssp. acuminata is a native tree species that can be found on the banks of the contaminated Bogota River and whose phytoremediation capacity for Pb and Cr is unknown. In the study, tree seedlings were irrigated with water from the upper, middle, and lower basin of the river for 4 months. Metal accumulation was measured in the roots, stem, leaves, and soil, and plant parameters such as height, number of leaves, and chlorophyll percentage were recorded. Pb was mainly accumulated in roots (135 mg/kg from upper basin treatment), whereas Cr was found in stems (71 mg/kg). There were no significant differences between treatment and control for any of the three parameters, meaning no toxicity effects were found. Therefore, A. acuminata ssp. acuminata is suggested as a suitable tree for metal phytoremediation along the banks of polluted rivers. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 942–948, 2016