Roaches are some of the most unappealing infestations you can have in your home, business, or garden.
If you are not into using pesticides to rid your home of them, you might be more inclined to use essential oils from plant extracts or the plants themselves to keep roaches away.
10 Plants That Keep Roaches Away:
- Rosemary
- Mint
- Chrysanthemums
- Cucumbers
- Lemongrass
- Lavender
- Bay Leaves
- Catnip
- Osage Orange Trees
- Garlic
Rosemary
Rosemary is one of the better herbs to plant in your herb garden or cut fresh sprigs to keep in your flower arrangements in your kitchen to repel roaches. They do not like its pine-like scent. Rosemary thrives in warmer months, so this is a good option outside of wintertime.
Mint
Mint is another herb that wards off cockroaches because mint and peppermint are poisonous to the insects if they are in contact with it for an extended period.
According to science, in the experiment, mint warded off 100% of the American and German cockroaches involved in the study!
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums are more than just pretty flowers! These flowers contain pyrethrum, which is a natural bug repellent.
Adding a few of these plants will help your garden stay cockroach free! Chrysanthemums can bloom as late as October, so this is a prevention method to use in the fall.
Cucumbers
While we may love the fresh scent of cucumbers, cockroaches despise its smell! Besides planting these in the garden, leave a few cucumber peels in their path if you have an infestation. The peels contain more juice than the inside of the cucumber, which can produce more smell.
Cucumber is a good choice for bathrooms or kitchens.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass has a pungent citrus smell. Roaches do not like citronella oil, much like many other insects. This aversion is why citronella candles work well repelling pesky bugs outdoors!
Add lemongrass to your garden or to flower arrangements inside your home to rid your space of cockroaches.
Lavender
Lavender is a popular ingredient in many candles, room sprays, and flower arrangements. Use this plant to keep them away inside your home and outside. Grow it in a pot near a window to let the aroma permeate the room!
Bay Leaves
Another herb popular in the kitchen but not so well-liked among roaches is the bay leaf plant. It contains eucalyptol which is a natural bug repellent.
You can use dried leaves or a live plant to ward off the insects, as long as the scent is strong enough.
Catnip
Plant catnip in your garden, and you will make yourself and your cat happy! Catnip is part of the mint family, so the same compounds that make roaches and other pests averse to mint and peppermint work the same way in catnip.
So long as you give it enough light, you can keep Catnip inside or outside your home.
Osage Orange Trees
Osage orange trees are perfect if you want to add citrus to your garden. As mentioned, citrus does not agree with cockroaches, thus keeping them away.
The inedible fruit will work to keep the roaches away, but according to research, even just planting the tree will help, so if you do not have a complete harvest yet, the tree should still help keep them at bay.
Garlic
There might not be evidence that garlic rids your home of vampires, but it is proven to rid your home of cockroaches! Science states that in a recent study, garlic killed 13 of 15 cockroaches in a given period. You can use the garlic plant in your garden or even cloves in your kitchen to keep them away.
Conclusion
Now you’ve got a handle on the 10 plants that keep roaches away. Natural remedies in your home, especially in sensitive areas like your kitchen, bathroom, garden, and bedroom, are crucial to keeping your home safe and non-toxic. Try using some of these plants as natural roach repellents!