While most snakes are harmless and actually help control pests like mice and rats, many people prefer to keep these scaly visitors away from their homes and gardens.
Snake repellent plants can be an effective and natural way to deter snakes from your property. These plants work by targeting snakes’ super-sensitive sense of smell through a special organ called Jacobson’s organ, which helps them “taste” the air.
While scientific studies on snake repellent plants are limited, there’s plenty of evidence from gardeners and traditional knowledge that certain plants can help keep snakes away. The key is to use these plants as part of a bigger plan that includes keeping your yard clean and removing hiding spots.
Let’s look at the best plants to consider.
1. Marigolds
Marigolds contain natural compounds called pyrethrins that may be unappealing to snakes, making them one of the most popular choices for natural snake control. These bright, cheerful flowers don’t just look pretty in your garden. They pack a powerful punch against unwanted slithery visitors.
How Marigolds Work Against Snakes
Marigolds release a strong scent from their flowers, and their roots have a scent that goes deep into the surrounding soil, keeping snakes from burrowing or nesting near the flowers. The combination of their pungent smell and bitter-tasting root system makes them especially effective against younger, smaller snakes.
Best Marigold Varieties
French marigolds (Tagetes patula) are incredibly easy to grow and come in beautiful colors like deep orange and yellow. African marigolds (Tagetes erecta) are larger and make excellent border plants. Both varieties work well as snake deterrents.
Growing Tips
Plant marigolds in full sun and well-draining soil. They’re super easy to grow from seeds or starter plants, and they’ll bloom from spring until the first frost. Place them around your garden borders or near entry points to your home for the best results.
Extra Benefits
Besides keeping snakes away, marigolds also deter other garden pests like aphids and mosquitoes. Plus, they attract beneficial insects like bees and butterflies to your garden.
2. Lemongrass
Lemongrass has a citrus scent that snakes dislike, and this plant’s by-product, citronella, is also good at keeping ticks and mosquitoes away. This tropical grass has been used for ages as a natural pest repellent, and it’s particularly effective against snakes.
How Lemongrass Repels Snakes
The strong citrus scent of lemongrass can disorient snakes and temporarily disrupt their ability to hunt. The plant contains high levels of citronella, which creates a powerful barrier that snakes prefer to avoid.
Growing Lemongrass
Lemongrass grows best in warm climates (zones 9-11) where it can stay outside year-round. In cooler areas, you can grow it as an annual or in containers that you bring indoors during winter. It loves full sun and well-draining soil.
Usage Tips
Plant lemongrass as a border around your garden or patio. You can also cut the grass and spread it around areas where you’ve seen snakes. The fresh cuttings will release more scent and provide extra protection.
Bonus Benefits
Lemongrass is widely used in Asian cooking, so you’ll have a fresh supply of this flavorful herb. It also keeps mosquitoes and other flying insects away from your outdoor spaces.
3. Garlic
Garlic exudes a strong scent due to the presence of sulfuric acid, and when snakes slither on the plant, garlic releases a greasy oil that irritates them. This makes garlic one of the most reliable snake repellent plants you can grow.
The Science Behind Garlic
The sulfur compounds in garlic create a strong odor, and while some sources suggest these plants may help deter snakes, they should be combined with other deterrent methods. The smell is so strong that it can overwhelm snakes’ sensitive smell receptors.
Planting Garlic
Plant garlic bulbs in fall for harvest the following summer. Choose a sunny spot with fertile, well-draining soil and a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. Space the bulbs about 6 inches apart and cover them with 2 inches of soil.
Using Garlic as a Snake Deterrent
You can plant garlic bulbs around your garden perimeter or create a garlic-infused spray by blending garlic cloves with water. Some gardeners also scatter crushed garlic cloves around areas where they’ve spotted snakes.
Double Duty Benefits
Not only will you keep snakes away, but you’ll also have fresh garlic for cooking. Garlic is also known to repel other pests like aphids, spider mites, and even some small mammals.
4. Onions
Like their garlic cousins, onions belong to the allium family and produce strong sulfur compounds that snakes find offensive. Onions have a strong scent from the underground up, making them just the kind of plant to keep snakes away.
How Onions Work
Snakes cannot stand the sulphonic acid that onion plants produce. The pungent scent comes from both the leaves and the bulbs, creating a powerful deterrent that snakes want to avoid.
Growing Onions Successfully
Onions grow best in zones 4-9 and need lots of sunlight. Plant them in well-draining soil and choose varieties that match your area’s daylight hours. Long-day varieties need 14-16 hours of sunlight, while short-day types need 10-12 hours.
Strategic Placement
Plant onions around your garden borders or scatter chopped onions around areas where you’ve seen snake activity. The smell will be strongest right after cutting or crushing the onions.
Added Value
You’ll get a useful harvest of onions for your kitchen while keeping snakes away. Onion flowers also attract beneficial pollinators to your garden.
5. Lavender
Lavender smells lovely to humans, but snakes cannot stand the scent. Their sense of smell is sensitive, so plants that release a strong fragrance, like lavender, help drive snakes away.
Why Lavender Works
Lavender’s essential oils are somewhat similar to those of clove and cinnamon, which are known snake deterrents. The strong floral scent overwhelms snakes’ sensitive smell receptors, making them want to stay away.
Growing Lavender
Lavender thrives in full sun and well-draining soil. It’s drought-tolerant once established, making it a low-maintenance choice for snake control. Most varieties are hardy in zones 5-9.
Best Placement
You can grow lavender along your walkways, in your garden, and at entry points to your home. Plant it near doorways, along garden paths, or around patios where you spend time outdoors.
Extra Perks
Lavender attracts bees and butterflies while repelling snakes. You can also harvest the flowers to make sachets, essential oils, or dried arrangements. The pleasant smell is a bonus for humans while being a deterrent for snakes.
6. Rosemary
Rosemary is an aromatic herb that acts as a natural snake repellent plant. Its strong scent is unappealing to snakes, and it can serve double duty as both a culinary herb and a snake deterrent.
How Rosemary Deters Snakes
The aromatic compounds in rosemary’s essential oils create a strong herbal scent that snakes find unpleasant. The smell is constant, providing year-round protection in areas where rosemary stays green.
Growing Rosemary
Rosemary is a tough, drought-tolerant herb that loves full sun and well-draining soil. It’s evergreen in warm climates and can be grown as an annual in colder areas. The plant can grow quite large, so give it plenty of space.
Using Rosemary for Snake Control
Plant rosemary around your garden or near doorways to keep these unwanted guests at bay. You can also use dried rosemary as a natural mulch around plants or areas where you want to deter snakes.
Kitchen Benefits
Fresh rosemary is perfect for cooking, especially with roasted meats and potatoes. You’ll have a constant supply of this flavorful herb while keeping snakes away from your garden.
7. Clove Basil
Clove basil has a distinctive clove-like smell that ranks it as one of the best snake-repellent plants. This special variety of basil combines the power of clove scent with the easy-growing nature of basil plants.
What Makes Clove Basil Special
Clove basil plants have a peculiar clove smell that drives snakes away. The scent is much stronger than regular basil and specifically targets the smells that snakes find most offensive.
Growing Clove Basil
This basil plant can grow up to 6 feet tall but can be trimmed into a hedge-like shape. It has attractive purple and green leaves and produces small white flowers. Plant it in full sun with well-draining soil.
Using Clove Basil Effectively
Plant clove basil as a natural hedge around your garden or property. You can also harvest the leaves and scatter them around areas where you want to repel snakes. The fresh leaves will have the strongest scent.
Additional Benefits
Clove basil is rich in calcium, zinc, iron, and vitamins A and C, and has potent antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant qualities. You can use the leaves for cooking or making tea.
8. Indian Snakeroot
Indian snakeroot is commonly known as Sarpagandha in India and has been historically used by people to avoid snakes. This traditional snake repellent plant has been trusted for generations.
Traditional Knowledge
Indian snakeroot acts as a snake repellent because snakes do not like the fragrance this plant produces. It’s found naturally in countries like Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan, where it’s widely used for snake control.
Growing Indian Snakeroot
This herbaceous perennial prefers tropical and subtropical climates. It produces attractive white flowers and grows well in partial shade. The plant needs regular watering and well-draining soil.
How to Use It
Plant Indian snakeroot around your garden perimeter or in areas where you’ve spotted snake activity. The strong odor it produces will help keep snakes away from your property.
Medicinal Uses
Apart from being a potent snake repellent plant, Indian snakeroot is also used as a tonic for general ailments and for snake bites, fever, constipation, and other conditions.
9. Wormwood
Wormwood has a bitter scent that snakes can’t stand, and it can affect snakes indirectly by reducing the number of food sources in your outdoor area. This makes it a smart choice for long-term snake control.
How Wormwood Works
Wormwood releases a strong aroma that snakes find quite off-putting. The plant’s bitter compounds and astringent scent create both a smell and taste that snakes want to avoid.
Growing Wormwood
Wormwood is essentially a weed that grows tall and has woody roots. With its greenish-silver leaves, its feathery foliage produces a strong scent that repels snakes. It can reach heights of up to 2 feet with a 3-foot spread.
Important Growing Notes
Wormwood can be invasive, so it will need tending to on a frequent basis to prevent it from growing out of control. Plant it in a bright, well-draining spot, but be prepared to manage its growth.
Usage Tips
You can plant wormwood around your garden or create sachets with dried wormwood to repel snakes. The dried leaves maintain their scent for a long time.
10. Holly
Holly bushes pack a snake-repelling punch thanks to their spiky leaves and strong fragrance. This evergreen shrub provides year-round protection with both physical and scent barriers.
Dual Protection Method
Holly leaves are spiky, so snakes aren’t likely to move toward one. Snakes are also scent-sensitive and are repelled by the smell that holly bushes produce. This double protection makes holly extra effective.
Growing Holly
You can grow holly in US hardiness zones 5-9. Holly can be planted any time of year and grows well in both sun and partial shade. Choose low-growing varieties for the best snake deterrent effect.
Strategic Use
After pruning mature bushes, you can also scatter the spiky leaves around areas snakes are likely to enter. The fallen leaves will continue to provide protection even after they’re cut.
Safety Note
Keep pets away from holly berries, as they can be toxic to dogs and cats. The spiky leaves are also sharp, so plant holly away from high-traffic areas.
11. Cactus
Because of their spikes, most cacti make decent snake deterrent plants, especially in rock gardens. These desert plants create an uncomfortable surface that snakes simply can’t cross.
How Cacti Work
Not only do cacti have a thorny surface that deters snakes, but the height of cacti often makes it difficult for snakes to move past. The combination of sharp spines and height creates an effective barrier.
Best Cactus Varieties
A variety of round barrel cactus such as Echinocactus grusonii, which grows low to the ground, can keep snakes from taking up residence in your yard. The pincushion-like plant can grow up to 3 feet in diameter and is covered with tons of vicious spikes.
Growing Cacti
Cacti like lots of sun and are drought-tolerant. In cold climates, you can grow them in pots and bring them indoors during winter. Plant them in well-draining soil made for succulents.
Placement Ideas
You can use cacti with sharp foliage to protect other plants in your yard where snakes may choose to hide. Plant them under windows or along property lines for maximum effect.
12. Tobacco
Studies on snake repellents in India revealed that tobacco extracts were found to be very effective snake repellents. This makes tobacco one of the few snake repellent plants with actual scientific backing.
Scientific Evidence
Renapurkar et al. demonstrated the repellency of tobacco extracts against venomous and non-venomous snakes. The plant was tested in controlled laboratory conditions and showed real effectiveness.
How Tobacco Works
Tobacco has a strong smell that is very repulsive to snakes, though on its own it is not particularly strong and needs other plants to support it. This means tobacco works best when combined with other snake repellent plants.
Growing Considerations
Tobacco is a warm-season crop that needs full sun and well-draining soil. It produces large, attractive leaves and can grow quite tall. However, remember that tobacco contains nicotine, which can be toxic to pets and children.
Best Usage
Plant tobacco as part of a mixed border with other snake repellent plants. The combination will be more effective than tobacco alone.
13. Society Garlic
Society garlic has a strong garlic-like smell that snakes dislike, making it an effective snake repellent. This plant gives you the snake-repelling power of garlic with beautiful flowers.
Why Society Garlic Works
Although not related to garlic, society garlic’s leaves and flower stems will exude a garlicky odor that repels snakes. The smell is strong enough to deter snakes but not as overwhelming as true garlic.
Growing Society Garlic
Society garlic bears rosy lavender flowers that have a pleasant smell and tend to attract pollinators like bees. This plant is a great choice due to its effectiveness and low maintenance.
Garden Benefits
Society garlic blooms for most of the growing season, providing continuous color and fragrance. The flowers are edible and can be used in salads, while the leaves can be used like chives in cooking.
Placement Tips
Plant society garlic in borders, rock gardens, or containers. It’s drought-tolerant once established and can handle a wide range of soil conditions.
14. Chives
As part of the garlic and onion family, chives emit a strong oniony smell that will keep snakes away. This hardy herb is one of the easiest snake repellent plants to grow and maintain.
Why Chives Are Effective
Chives are sturdier and have lower maintenance than garlic and onion while lasting many years if grown in the right conditions. They provide consistent snake protection without needing to be replanted every year.
Growing Chives
Chives are incredibly hardy and can grow in zones 3-9. They prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Once established, they’ll come back year after year, spreading slowly to form larger clumps.
Visual Appeal
Chives add ornamental value to your garden with pale purple globular flowers. The flowers are also edible and make a colorful addition to salads.
Kitchen Uses
Fresh chives are perfect for cooking, adding a mild onion flavor to eggs, soups, and salads. You can harvest them throughout the growing season without harming the plant.
15. Kaffir Lime
Kaffir limes are known for their rough fruits with a strong aromatic citrus smell. This scent confuses snakes, making them an excellent choice for snake control.
Double Protection
Kaffir lime stems are covered with thorns that deter many animals from approaching, snakes included. The plant provides both scent and physical barriers against snakes.
Growing Kaffir Lime
Kaffir lime is commonly known as Makrut lime and grows well in moist soil with good watering. You can grow the plant indoors as well, in a sunny spot.
Usage Tips
Plant kaffir lime around your garden area and supplement it with scattering peels, leaves, or old fruits. The fresh plant materials will have the strongest scent.
Culinary Value
Kaffir lime leaves can be used for culinary purposes and essential oils, and the plant bears fragrant pinkish-white flowers. The leaves are essential in many Asian dishes.
16. Bitter Plants
Andrographis paniculata, also known as King of Bitters, might be one of the best-known plants to repel snakes. This powerful plant has multiple ways of keeping snakes away.
Why Bitter Plants Work
Andrographis has bitter-tasting roots and leaves, a strong unpleasant smell that can irritate snakes’ skin, and anti-venom properties. This triple action makes it incredibly effective.
Growing Andrographis
The green chiretta grows up to 3 feet tall in lightly shaded locations with daytime temperatures around 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and well-draining, evenly moist soils.
Plant Characteristics
Andrographis is native to India and Sri Lanka, has slender dark-green stems and lance-shaped leaves with a glossy finish, and blooms small pink flowers arranged in panicles.
Traditional Uses
Andrographis is also repellent to other pests and is often used in alternative medicine practices. The plant boosts the immune system and aids digestion.
Best Practices for Using Snake Repellent Plants
Now that you know about the best plants that repel snakes, let’s talk about how to use them most effectively. Getting the most out of your snake repellent plants requires smart planning and proper care.
Strategic Placement
The key to success with snake repellent plants is putting them in the right places. Plant them in borders around your property perimeter, focusing on entry points where snakes might enter your yard. Areas around foundations, gates, and garden beds are prime spots for these plants.
Create barriers around specific garden beds or areas where you spend time outdoors. The scent from these plants needs to form a continuous barrier rather than isolated patches.
Maintenance Tips
Keep your snake repellent plants healthy and effective with regular care. Pruning helps maintain scent production, as fresh growth often has stronger aromas. Water your plants properly to keep them healthy, since stressed plants may not produce as much scent.
After heavy rains, you may need to reapply crushed materials like garlic or onion around your garden. Replace annual varieties each season to maintain continuous protection.
Companion Strategies
Remember that snake repellent plants work best when combined with other snake control methods. Remove hiding spots like brush piles, tall grass, and debris piles where snakes might shelter. Keep your garden areas clean and well-maintained.
Eliminate food sources that attract snakes, such as rodents and insects. A combination of the best plants that repel snakes plus good garden hygiene will give you the best results.
