Lizard repellent plants: Some of us desperately need them. If you are not a fan you can use these plants to repel them: laurel, peppermint, sage and rosemary.
Some love these animals, but for some people, they are terrifying – and rightly so, because some lizards are venomous as well.
So if you’re looking to do your part in getting rid of these creatures, keep reading the article!
Some Lizard Repellent Plants
1. Laurel
Laurel, known by its scientific name “Laurus Nobilis,” is a plant that is effective in pest control. This plant belongs to the family Lauraceae which has an approximate number of 2,500 species. And it is also used in cooking. The Laurus Nobilis plant is native to the Mediterranean region.
Laurus Nobilis has chemicals such as eucalyptol, linalool, and methyl eugenol. What these chemicals do is that they put off a smell that acts as a natural repellent against lizards, depriving them of their main food source and serving as an agent to combat other insects and pests as well.
– Benefits
Laurus Nobilis contains several compounds that have antioxidant activities. Antioxidants protect the cells in your body from free radicals, which may, later on, play an active role in causing heart diseases in a human and even play a role in causing cancer. So in this regard, Laurel is very beneficial for human health.
Furthermore, the leaves of the plant help to improve digestion and urinary tract infections. They also have antiseptic and antibacterial properties and have the ability to soothe even minor inconveniences like the common cold, cough, and sinus issues.
– Uses
Laurus Nobilis is a flavoring agent in the cooking and culinary industry. But its uses are not limited to those industries; it has also been used as folk medicine. The essential oil from this plant is used in producing soap and as an aroma in foods and cosmetics.
Furthermore, this plant has also been known for other uses in the medicinal field, such as reportedly having antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antitumoral properties. This plant has been used in folk medicine to treat stomach aches, provide carminative remedies, and treat digestive issues. The primary use of this plant is to prevent lizards from entering your house. Dried leaves of the Laurus Nobilis have been used for a long time because of how aromatic these leaves are.
– Distinguishing Characteristics
Talking about the physical characteristics of the Laurel plant, or the Laurus Nobilis, it grows up to three to 10 meters with yellow flowers. The leaves are not shed during the winter season and are five to 4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. These leaves are green in color.
This plant’s upper surface is olive green, glabrous, and shiny, whereas the lower surface of this plant is brown to dull olive, having prominent ribs and veins. Growing this plant in your house is an effective way to keep away those annoying lizards if you’re not a fan of them.
Furthermore, the plant prefers to grow in bright yet indirect sunlight, so if you are growing it indoors, ensure you place it near the window that receives sunlight almost throughout the day. However, it would be best if you kept it in partial shade outdoors as it withers under full and direct sun.
2. Peppermint
The scientific name for the Peppermint plant is Mentha x Piperita. As the scientific name suggests, it is a hybrid species of mint. It is indigenous in Europe and the Middle East and widely spread in many regions and countries. But most importantly, it is also used to repel lizards. The plant has an overwhelming smell that is unbearable to lizards, so they do their best to stay away from places with these plants.
– Benefits
The plant is famous for peppermint tea. This tea has many benefits that are backed by science. It does not contain much caffeine or calories and is naturally sweet. The benefits of drinking this tea include solving digestive issues, boosting concentration, and relieving migraines. But that is not it, and it is also known to be used as a source of freshening your breath. The leaves contain essential oils, for example, methanol and menthone.
– Uses
The plant nowadays is used for many purposes, but some of the most common uses of it are as a flavoring item for foods and beverages. The oil, made from peppermint, is widely used as a fragrance in cosmetics and soaps.
Apart from cosmetic use, it has also been used in history for medicinal purposes. The plants should preferably be grown in pots to avoid out-of-control growth, and it’s important to trim them regularly. A spray made from peppermint oil is also an alternative if you want to keep these critters away from your home.
– Distinguishing Characteristics
From the above benefits and uses of the plant, we can conclude that it is one of the most recommended and effective plants when it comes to keeping lizards away from your home, one of the sole reasons being that the inability of lizards to bear the overwhelmingly strong scent of this plant.
But now let’s look at how this plant looks, its specifications, and what those characteristics help us distinguish it from other plants. The plants are perennial and can reach a height between 10 to 40 inches. Further physical characteristics include square stems, dark-green leaves, and clusters of pinkish-lavender flowers.
3. Sage
sage or Salvia Officinalis (or common sage), native to the Mediterranean region, is a perennial plant that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. As of now, it has been naturalized in other parts of the world as well. This plant has many uses and can also be used as a lizard repellent. Let’s unpack some of its benefits.
– Benefits
Sage is a common plant you might have seen in households and places nearby. In the therapeutic area, sage is beneficial as it is high in natural nutrients such as minerals and vitamins, instantly making it good for your body when consumed in a small amount.
Another benefit is that sage, or Salvia officinalis, however you may want to call it, is loaded with antioxidants that help reinforce and fortify your body’s defense against disease and other health-related threats. One more benefit of sage is that it may support your oral health. According to a study, mouthwashes based on sage effectively kill bacteria in your mouth, providing fresher breath.
– Uses
As discussed above, sage is beneficial for your health. Let’s now look at how and in what ways sage can be used. Sage has been used in folk medicine to treat many diseases and medical problems, such as different disorders. To name a few conditions, sage has been known to aid in treating seizures, inflammation, signs of dizziness, tremors, diarrhea, ulcers, rheumatism, paralysis, and hyperglycemia.
Apart from medical uses, common sage can also be used in foods. For example, it is found in many holiday dishes. Common sage is used for seasoning food, such as for meat or poultry stuffings, for addition in pasta sauces, as a garnish for risotto or pumpkin dishes by frying it in butter, etc. There are many ideas to grow the plant. However, if you grow them in pots, the lizards do not stand a chance against the strongly scented plant.
– Distinguishing Characteristics
Common sage is a perennial herb belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It is 2 feet in height and a hardy plant. Its leaves are thick and in length approximately 2 to 3 inches, opposite each other and pointed at the front. Talking about its color, they are a variant of grayish green leaves to varieties of green with white and purple or green and yellow.
The plant prefers to grow in full sun but in sheltered areas. It also grows well in partial to light shade but does not have the same scent as when grown in bright sunlight. Furthermore, it thrives in fertile, moist, and well-drained soil. It needs to be watered once or twice a week when it is newly planted. Once the plant has developed, water it every one or two weeks.
4. Rosemary
Rosemary, scientifically known as Salvia rosmarinus, native to the Mediterranean region, belongs to the Lamiaceae family.The plant bears needle-like grayish-green slender leaves on the upright woody stems. It blooms beautiful clusters of flowers in shades of blue and white. It is mostly seen flowering in late spring and early summer, but many gardeners are able to grow it throughout the year.
After all the frost risks have passed, it is safe to grow the plant. It can be grown indoors, too, if you are okay with the plant occupying a big chunk of your space. It has a moderate growth rate and spreads gradually.
– Benefits
The plant is loaded with health benefits. It has proven antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic properties. It has had medicinal properties since ancient times. If you consume the leaves daily, in the form of teas or your regular food, it helps lower the intensity of infections and helps your immune system for future potential infections.
Rosemary helps in better digestion. People consuming the plant’s leaves daily are usually in a good mood. The inhaling compounds in drinking tea help reduce anxiety and stress and improve memory.
It also lowers the risk of heart failure. The plant also helps to reduce weight and improve hair quality.
– Uses
The plant’s oil is used to relieve pain. Most gardeners also use the oil to repel certain insects like aphids and ants. Furthermore, you might notice your hands and feet going numb. It is a sign that the blood circulation is not at its best. There is where you use the oil.
It is used to reduce tissue inflammation that most of us go through. Generously rub the oil on the suffering area for fifteen minutes, and after two or three weeks, you will be able to notice the difference.
Apart from all these uses, it helps fight cancer cells, improves your liver and digestive health, treats food poisoning, and helps fight the side effects of antibiotics.
– Distinguishing Characteristics
It is an evergreen perennial that lives up to countless years. It reaches its maturity and starts to bloom in its second growing season. The plant is 2 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide.
The plant is a full sun lover and does not tolerate shade even a bit. It particularly likes to grow in warm weather and has a strong liking for high humidity levels, which shows that it has a good tolerance for heat. It needs as much as eight hours of sunlight daily, almost every other day. There is nothing better than a south-facing window if you are growing the plant indoors.
To fulfill the plant’s sunlight needs inside the house, you must arrange artificial light, like grow lights. However, there is nothing better than to let the plant live happily outside, as insufficient sunlight causes problems like weak or stunted growth. It thrives in sandy and loamy, well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. You see further growth if you plant it in clay or wet soil.
The shrub is planted at a distance of 2 to 3 feet. It is tolerant to drought once it has been established. With this particular plant, it is better that you go underwater rather than overwater them. But if you water it, please ensure that the top few inches of the soil are dry and maintain this method whenever you water it.
It is a light feeder. Add compost to the soil at the time of planting to give it a boost. To maintain the plant’s health and quality, use a balanced liquid fertilizer per the instructions on the product’s label.
It is necessary to prune the plant after it has finished flowering. But be careful not to prune more than one-third of the plant’s height at a time as it stresses the plant and makes it vulnerable to pests and diseases. The plant has the ability to self-pollinate and attracts pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds.
Conclusion
We’re sure that by reading the details mentioned above, you now have an idea and a direction with which you can use these plants to achieve your purpose and help you decide which plant is the best lizard repellent.
Here is a summary:
- The peppermint plant has the most effective lizard-repellent properties.
- These plants have a lot of health benefits as well.
- These plants can all be grown in your house or your garden.
- All the plants mentioned above give off smells that repel lizards.
So if you don’t want to see more of these creatures and you’re looking for an effective lizard repellent for home or indoor plants that keep lizards away, these plants are a good choice.
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