Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Sunday - November 16, 2014

From: College Station, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Septic Systems, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Using bamboo as a filter for odoras from a wastewater treatmen plant in College Station, TX
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

My wastewater treatment plant is considering planting bamboo to create a filter for odors between it and the neighborhood. Are there any native plant alternatives that would function as well (if not better)?

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants can’t think of any features that bamboo has, or any other plant for that matter, that would enable it to filter out odors in the air from a sewage treatment plant.
This link describes the process of Wastewater Treatment in College Station.

Bamboo is being used in Europe to treat wastewater because it has an extensive root system that can absorb contaminants in the water. Here are a couple of links that describe the process.

rwlwater.com