A METHOD FOR SYNTHESIZING INFLUENZA VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLES (VLPS) WITHIN A PLANT OR A PORTION OF A PLANT IS PROVIDED. THE METHOD INVOLVES EXPRESSION OF INFLUENZA HA IN PLANTS AND THE PURIFICATION BY SIZE EXCLUSION CHROMATOGRAPHY. THE INVENTION IS ALSO DIRECTED TOWARDS A VLP COMPRISING INFLUENZA HA PROTEIN AND PLANTS LIPIDS. THE INVENTION IS ALSO DIRECTED TO A NUCLEIC ACID ENCODING INFLUENZA HA AS WELL AS VECTORS. THE VLPS MAY BE USED TO FORMULATE INFLUENZA VACCINES, OR MAY BE USED TO ENRICH EXISTING VACCINES. THE MOST ILLUSTRATIVE DRAWING IS FIGURE 11