What to grow beside a septic tank?

effluent

Hi

I'm looking for something to grow around my septic tank. I'm looking for something to cover 5x8 foot either side of the tank, the tank is beside the site boundary and a shed. The area gets most of the sunlight. It was basically just a rough bit of ground where we would just spray weed killer from time to time to keep the weeds at bay. I'm looking for something which will grow up to and over 5 foot.

I thought about planting a shrub. However I was worried about the root system possibley working into fractures of the tank wall, and small leaves falling off and working their way into the tank.

So I've thought about planting pampas grass or bamboo in the area (would prefer pampas grass) since it is unlikley they would interfere with the tank, or would they? I'd prefere to plant something with a scent which would hide any odour of the tank, but I can't be too picky.

looksee

Bamboo (possibly depending on variety) does not have invasive roots, but it can spread as a plant and you might have to keep it cut back from the edges of the tank. The commonest one does spread, I have a dwarf 'black' pampas and it is growing quite tidily in a clump.. Pampas grass isn't invasive, but it does make very big solid clumps, as it is almost impossible to 'cut back' Pampas grass, you would end up digging it up.

Many of the hedging plants don't have invasive roots, avoid the ones that might send up suckers, like some lilacs for example. I can't off hand think of a perfumed hedging plant, though some of the conifers smell nice, if you got dwarf ones (even though you want 5ft)

From my memories of living in a house with a septic tank I don't recall any odour? I would be a bit concerned about that.

planetX

I planted mint around mine to help sweeten its breath;)

Zuiderzee

Pampas grass or New Zealand flax