6 Plants That Repel Rats

What are the plants that repel rats?

• Mint
• Allium
• Lavender
• Wood Hyacinth
• Sweet Pea
• Camphor

There are many different ways to get rid of rats and possibly even ward them off before they even take over your house or place of business. But if the answer to preventing a rat infestation lies in the plants that repel rats, wouldn’t you use that to your advantage and use as many of those kinds of plants as you can? 

If you happen to be a plant enthusiast and dislike rat infestations, then this prevention plan is perfect for you by hitting two birds with one stone. Here is a list of plants that repel rats that you can keep in mind.

Mint

There’s something special about mint. It provides a pleasurable scent, flavor, and sensation. Fortunately, this benefit is only applicable to humans and not pests — especially rats. 

For rats, the scent of mint is utterly revolting, just like other strong and overwhelming scents. As you might know, rats have a strong sense of smell which is the main reason why they’re so good at sniffing out sources of food to dig up. Fortunately, mint, especially peppermint because of its higher mint content, is one of the best plants that repel rats.

Allium

When we talk about strong odors, you might be thinking now that if something smells good to humans, pests like rats hate it. However, it’s not always the case. Something can have an overwhelming scent to both people and pests. 

Allium is a plant whose flower is the first thing you would recognize. And like most flowers, the flowers have a sweet scent. But what you might not know is that alliums are related to onions, garlic, and leeks. Now, these may smell nice when cooked, but the raw “oniony” scent of the allium plant is more than enough to ward away rats and mice. 

Lavender

Lavender is a very popular scent due to the fact that the scent of lavender promotes stress relief by encouraging relaxation. Its calming effect is great for those who have trouble sleeping. But when it comes to trouble with pests, you’re also going to hit two birds with one stone through lavenders. 

The scent of lavender is overwhelming to rats. With this in mind, ask yourself how much more will the presence of lavender plants keep them away. When you place a few lavender plants, know that your home will be clear of rats and you’re going to be sleeping extra well.

Wood Hyacinth

Wood hyacinth or the Spanish bluebell has had a long history of proving itself to be one of the best plants that repel rats. 

For centuries at least, gardeners have noticed that planting wood hyacinth in their garden drastically reduces the number of rats that take over and eat from the garden. One might think that Spanish bluebells are merely adornment, but they act like silent scent-powered bodyguards that keep rats and mice at bay.

Sweet Pea

Sweet peas are flowering plants that are native to Italy. The flowers that they produce bloom bright pink and can only be truly described as “flowery” and “sweet.” Imagine a cake that’s too sweet. But imagine it to be for your nose and in the context of flowers — it can even be characterized as too flowery and “perfumey.” Because of this pleasantly strong aroma, rats and mice are repelled.

Camphor

Naturally, camphor comes from the bark of the camphor tree which. Let’s be honest, it’s not easy to come across and plant unless you already planted one at least thirty years ago. But there’s another way to utilize camphor and that’s through vaporub.  

Now, when thinking of strong odors that repel rats, nostalgia would probably not come into play. But if you have experienced an Asian upbringing, a certain word might ring a bell and trigger core memories: vaporub. It’s the topical elixir of life. Be it coughs, fevers, sinusitis, vaporub is perfect for your ailment. You can even inhale its pleasant scent and it eases headaches and nausea. But for rats, the scent of camphor drives them nuts – in a negative sense. 

Key Takeaway

At times the plants, when they exist in their own form, are not as effective as the extract or the concentrate. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give these 7 plants a try. However, if you’re looking for a long-term and even permanent rat control solution, contact a pest control service provider with experts who know what you need and how to take care of any infestation, such as Topbest. 

With our years of experience in pest control in the Philippines, we can help solve your rat infestation problems. At Topbest, we offer FREE consultation!