6 Plants That Attract Snakes to Your Home & 4 That Keep Them Away

Snakes are naturally drawn to certain plants that provide them with food, shelter, or an ideal hiding place. If you live in an area where snakes are common, it’s important to identify plants that might attract them to your garden and replace them with snake-repelling plants instead.

In this article, we will discuss 6 plants that may attract snakes to your home and 4 powerful plants that naturally repel them.

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6 Plants That Attract Snakes to Your Home

Some plants create the perfect environment for snakes by providing dense cover, food sources (like rodents or insects), or cool, shady hiding spots. If you don’t want snakes around, consider removing or relocating these plants.

1. Ground Cover Plants (Dense Bushes, Ivy, and Shrubs)

• Snakes love to hide in thick vegetation where they can avoid predators and regulate their body temperature.
• Ivy, jasmine, lantana, and dense bushes create the perfect cool and dark environment for snakes to nest.

🚨 Solution: Keep shrubs trimmed, avoid overgrown areas, and clear fallen leaves.

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2. Tall Grasses & Ornamental Grass

• Tall grasses provide a cool hiding spot for snakes.
• They also attract small rodents, which are a food source for snakes.

🚨 Solution: Mow your lawn regularly and keep your grass below 6 inches.

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3. Berry Bushes & Fruiting Plants

• Plants like strawberries, blackberries, and citrus trees attract insects, rodents, and birds—all of which snakes prey on.
• The fallen fruit and dense ground cover create a perfect habitat for snakes.

🚨 Solution: Remove fallen fruit and keep the area clean and well-maintained.

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4. Bamboo Plants

• Bamboo grows thick and fast, providing plenty of shade where snakes can hide.
• The hollow bamboo stalks also serve as hiding spots.

🚨 Solution: If you must grow bamboo, plant it away from your home and keep it well-trimmed.

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5. Rock Gardens with Vegetation

• Rocks absorb heat, making them a favorite spot for snakes to warm themselves.
• If there’s vegetation nearby, it creates the perfect hunting ground for snakes.

🚨 Solution: Avoid using stacked rocks with plants; instead, use gravel or cement borders.

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6. Mulch & Compost Piles

• Snakes love moist and dark places, and mulch or compost piles offer both.
• These piles also attract insects and rodents, which bring more snakes.

🚨 Solution: Keep compost bins sealed and avoid using thick mulch layers near your home.

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4 Plants That Repel Snakes from Your Garden

If you want to keep snakes away, consider growing these natural snake-repellent plants. They release strong smells or contain compounds that snakes find unpleasant.

1. Marigolds 🌼

• Marigolds have a strong scent that deters many pests, including snakes.
• Their deep roots also help repel burrowing rodents, reducing a snake’s food source.

✅ How to Use: Plant marigolds around garden edges or near entrances to keep snakes away.

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2. Lemongrass 🍃

• Lemongrass contains citronella, a natural repellent for snakes, mosquitoes, and other insects.
• It grows tall and dense, preventing snakes from finding hiding spots.

✅ How to Use: Plant around porches, windows, and pathways to deter snakes.

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3. Garlic & Onion Plants 🧄🧅

• These plants release a strong smell that snakes hate.
• Garlic also contains sulfur, which irritates snakes’ skin.

✅ How to Use:

• Crush garlic cloves and spread them around snake-prone areas.
• Plant onions and garlic near garden edges.