One of the most dangerous pollutants in the atmosphere is particulate matter (PM), which can be suspended in the air for weeks and has a negative impact on human health when inhaled. The most effective method for clearing the air of PM is through phytoremediation, whereby plants act as biological filters. PM also has a negative impact on plants, but knowledge of the effects of PM on the photosynthetic apparatus is limited. The aim of this study was to assess the accumulation of PM in the context of leaf morphology and the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus in two shrub species with different types of leaves – Physocarpus opulifolius and Sorbaria sorbifolia – both commonly planted along busy roads in urbanized areas. The study was conducted under controlled conditions using three variants of PM (construction, cement, and roadside PM). Results showed that S. sorbifolia accumulated higher amounts of PM than did P. opulifolius, likely because of its more complex leaves. The higher presence of PM on leaves of S. sorbifolia resulted in a reduction of the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus and chlorophyll a fluorescence. A strong negative correlation was found between the amount of PM accumulation and the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus in S. sorbifolia, and a similar weak correlation was found in P. opulifolius.