Let’s admit it: we all hate snakes. Period! These pesky crawling creatures are a nuisance wherever you find them. In the woods, meadows, plains, trees, swamps, you name it. These creepy fellas even find their way into our homes. They are indeed one of the world’s most feared and hated creatures to speak of. However, if you thought getting rid of these creepers is a heck of a challenge. Here are ten well known herbs and plants that can repel those pesky creatures away for good.
Related media: Worried Of Snakes These Plants Will Repel Snakes From Your Garden
#1. Marigold
Botanical name: Tagetes;
Native to: the Americas — North, tropical America (Central), and South America.
This is probably the most well-known repellent plant. These pretty bright, lovely looking flowers seem innocent, but their roots grow deeply and aggressively. It’s sturdy roots emit a pungent odor that so strong that most insects are easily repelled from areas the plants thrive. Introduce these into your garden and see how snakes, gophers, moles, and nematodes will stay away. However, it also attracts spider mites and snails.
#2. “Mother-In-Law” Tongue
Botanical name: Dracaena trifasciata;
Native to: tropical West Africa from Nigeria east to the Congo.
This plant is one of the best plants that repel snakes because of its sharp leaves. Its also rejuvenates oxygen at higher than normal rate. Most snake repellent plants are smelly, but snakes find it really hard maneuvering around it. Keep these plants around your walls and snakes will dare not venture.
#3. Lemongrass
Botanical name: Cymbopogon nardus;
Native to: tropical Asia — India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand, Africa, and Australia.
This is another pungent-smelling plant that repels most insects. It produces a citrus-like smell that easily deters mosquitoes. Citronella is a by-product of lemongrass, and is one of the best plants that repels snakes, mosquitoes, and even several other insects from your garden.
#4. Indian Snakeroot
Botanical name: Rauvolfia serpentina;
Native to: the Indian subcontinent and East Asia.
This plant is an endemic under-shrub widely found around the Himalayan subcontinent. It can grow as high as 1,000 meters (1,094 yards). Its also known as devil pepper, or serpentine wood, this milkweed flower repels creepy crawlers because of its pungent smell. Have them growing in your backyard, and not only will you keep snakes away, you’ll have to deal with the smell yourself.
#5. Garlic
Botanical name: Allium sativum;
Native to: Middle Asia.
Another plant also known for a pungent scent that’s quite a nuisance to us. As it turns out, its also a good repellent to most snakes and other reptiles. Garlics and onions contain sulfenic acid — the compound that makes you cry when chopping onions. Infusing some oil with garlic or onion makes a potent odor for repelling snakes. Spray the formula in areas you don’t want these creepers and see the magic.
#6. Lily Of The Nile
Botanical name: Agapanthus africanus;
Native to: Southern Africa (and not the Nile River as the name suggests).
This plant is also a member of the onion family, and just like its cousins, its scent deters snakes. Native to South Africa, its typical of Zulu communities to grow these plants around their homes and gardens just to keep snakes away.
#7. Mugwort
Botanical name: Artemisia vulgaris;
Native to: Europe and eastern Asia.
This is probably the cousin of the marigold plant. The mugwort plant — albeit considered as a weed — offers a lush flowering season that’s noticeable for a strong potent scent that doesn’t make snakes feel at home.
#8. Society Garlic
Botanical name: Tulbaghia violacea;
Native to: eastern South Africa.
Another cousin of garlics, onions, and well…, another enemy combatant to snakes. Onion plants are the best snake repellents. These plants produce an oily scented residue that act very much like how you weep when slicing onions. That’s exactly what happens to snakes. The aroma is so disorienting like a pepper spray.
#9. Lavender
Botanical name: Lavandula angustifolia;
Native to: the Old World — typically found in lower Europe across the Mediterranean, northern and eastern Africa, and southwest Asia.
This soothing scented plant is believed by many to repel snakes because of it strong scent. As it turns out, snakes aren’t good with vision nor hearing, so it makes sense for people to assume as such. As a matter of fact, snakes have a powerful sense of smell, so strong scent is a deterrent to them. They can also smell with their tongue. How weird!
#10. Clove
Botanical name: Syzygium aromaticum;
Native to: the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia.
Last but not least, cloves are the aromatic flower buds of the tree in the Myrtaceae family. Their scents make a good repellent. Add some cloves to white vinegar and pour the solution around place where snakes normally creep around.
What’s even more?
Wormwood …, Witch hazel, …, Rue, …, Green chiretta, …, Yucca, …, and so many more are all natural remedies to keep the pesky crawling creatures out of your vicinity. Play safe!
Let us know which herbs or plants we didn’t include in this list.
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Written by: Nana Kwadwo, Wed, Jan 05, 2022.