If you hate house geckos, grow these Plants to Keep Lizards Away from your home and garden. 
Lizards are helpful as they eat insects and pests. However, sometimes, they become unwelcome guests in homes and gardens, especially if there are too many. And if you’re looking for a natural way to keep them at bay, try these plants that keep lizards away.
Why Use Plants to Repel Lizards?
Using plants to repel lizards offers several advantages over chemical repellents:
- Environmentally friendly: Chemical repellents may harm the environment, other animals, or even humans. Plants won’t!
- Good to Look at Many of the plants that repel lizards also enhance the beauty of your indoor or outdoor space.
- Low maintenance: Most of these plants are easy to care for and require minimal attention.
- Cost-effective: Once you establish these plants, they continue to provide benefits without ongoing expenses.
Plants That Keep Lizards Away
While there is no definitive list of plants that can completely keep lizards away, certain plants are known to have properties that may deter them. Lizards are generally drawn to areas with abundant insects and a warm environment. Using these plants may help create an environment that is less attractive to lizards:
1. Mint 
Botanical Name: Mentha
Mint plants, such as peppermint or spearmint, have a strong scent that can deter lizards. This aroma overwhelms their olfactory senses, creating an unfriendly environment which discourages them from approaching or nesting in the area.
2. Basil 
Botanical Name: Basil
Basil gives off a strong smell that lizards don’t like. When they sense this strong smell, they tend to stay away. So, having basil around can help keep lizards from coming too close to your space.
Look at flowering basil plants here
3. Marigolds
Botanical Name: Tagetes
Marigolds have a pungent scent that can discourage lizards. So, planting marigolds can act as a natural barrier, keeping lizards from your garden.
4. Lavender
Botanical Name: Lavandula
Lavender not only has a pleasant fragrance for humans but can also deter lizards due to its strong scent. When lizards smell lavender, they tend to avoid it. So, having lavender around can help keep lizards away from your space naturally.
5. Rosemary 
Botanical Name: Salvia rosmarinus
Rosemary has a strong scent that may deter lizards. The strong scent of rosemary doesn’t sit well with them, causing them to steer clear. Planting rosemary can effectively discourage lizards from lingering around your garden or home.
Find can cat eat rosemary here
6. Oregano
Botanical Name: Origanum vulgare
Oregano is another herb with a strong smell that can help keep lizards at bay. When lizards encounter the aroma of oregano, it often deters them from staying nearby, making oregano a natural choice to discourage lizards in your surroundings.
Learn growing oregano in pots here
7. Eucalyptus 
Botanical Name: Eucalyptus
This plant creates an unfavorable environment for the insects that lizards like to feed on as eucalyptus contains compounds such as cineole (eucalyptol) and citronellal.
8. Catnip
Botanical Name: Nepeta cataria
Catnip can deter lizards, and it’s also attractive to cats, which might help control the lizard population indirectly.
9. Garlic
Botanical Name: Allium sativum
When Lizard sense the strong garlic aroma, they tend to stay away. Planting garlic can help naturally discourage lizards from approaching or nesting in your area.
10. Onions
Botanical Name: Allium cepa
Like garlic, onions have a intense scent that can deter lizards.
Find how to grow onions in pots here
11. Chrysanthemums
Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums contain pyrethrin, a natural insect repellent, which may indirectly reduce lizard populations by decreasing their insect prey.
12. Citronella Grass
Botanical Name: Cymbopogon nardus
Citronella plants have a strong scent that can repel various pests, including some lizards. When used as a spray or planted, its scent can make lizards uncomfortable and discourage them from staying in an area, as they dislike the smell.
Discover the best medicinal plants with their benefits here
13. Lemongrass
Botanical Name: Cymbopogon citratus
Lemongrass is also the same as its cousin above. When planted or its oil is used, the scent acts as a natural deterrent, making lizards less likely to stay in the area.
Learn how to grow lemongrass from seeds here
14. Thorny or Prickly Plants
Thorny or prickly plants have sharp thorns that create a physical barrier in garden. Lizards avoid these plants because they could get hurt or trapped, making them an effective deterrent. Some examples of such plants are Crown of Thorns, Cacti, succulents, yucca.
