Last Updated on April 17, 2024 by Kimberly Crawford
Fleas aren’t as much of a problem for us modern humans since we’re practically hairless compared to our hairy ancestors. However, they are problematic for your pets. Strays can spread them as well as rats.
You’ll have to bathe your dogs or cats daily to keep them from becoming “fleabags”. Alternatively, grow some plants that repel fleas to get rid of fleas. Insect-repelling plants are safer for the environment than man made insecticides, after all.
17 Plants That Serve as Flea Repellents
1. Fleabane Daisy
It’s a cute flower but fleas don’t like it, hence the name. What could be better as a flea repellent than something named “fleabane”? This daisy is also known as pennyroyal. It’s also part of the mint family. It’s minty, it’s beautiful, it’s a daisy, and it repels fleas.
Related: Natural Tick Repellent: 8 Plants That Repel Ticks
2. Fleawort
As for fleawort, it’s also the bane of the flea’s existence. It’s a European species of plant with flowers that look like yellow daisies. Even though its seeds look like fleas it still effectively repels the actual fleas. How ironic.
Related: 10 Plants That Repel Flies Naturally and Keep the Home Bug-Free
3. Mint
Insects hate mint for some reason. Meanwhile, humans love putting mint in chocolate, candies, toothpaste, and ointments. The small vermin don’t find mint as refreshing as we do.
Humans love their refreshing, sweet smell. Fleas are overpowered by it like the smell of an open sewer. Any member of the mint family will do.
Related: 17 Best Plants That Repel Wasps And Bees
4. Catnip
Cats love catnip. Fleas hate catnip. It’s a match made in heaven. It also makes perfect sense. If you have a cat, use this plant to get rid of his fleas.
Have it around the house. Your cat will love the scent and go crazy for the plant. The fleas will jump elsewhere.
Related: 11 Plants That Repel Mosquitoes: Keep Those Pesky Biters Away!
5. Rosemary
Fleas hate rosemary. To be more specific, they hate the rosemary herb. Not to be confused with the rosemary pea or rosemary bog.
The rosemary herb is highly effective as a flea repellant. It’s characterized by its needle-like leaves and flowers that are colored blue, purple, pink, or white.
Related: 14 Companion Planting Herbs to Repel Pests (From Anise to Wormwood)
6. Marigolds
As for marigolds, they’re one of the most multifunctional flowers out there. Repelling fleas is just one of the marigold’s many benefits.
It’s also used for reducing diaper rash or decreasing scar discoloration. Furthermore, it treats burns, swollen bug bites, dermatitis, eczema, bruises, and cuts. It’s herbal medicine for skin care purposes.
7. Rue
Keep fleas away with a mixture of water and rue. This is what early physicians used to tell people. Nowadays, you have to buy special flea soaps, powders, or products to keep your pets flea-free. However, it pays to go old-school with eco-friendly flea-repelling tactics from the past.
Related: Top 7 Incredible Plants that Repel Ants
8. Chamomile
Yes, chamomile. As in chamomile tea. Chamomile might not be as effective as flea powder in removing fleas from pets.
However, the plant is good enough to calm down flea activity. Like a sip of chamomile tea, naturally enough.
9. Sage
This is part of the mint family. It’s the largest member of that family in terms of plant size. Its coverage in your garden and lawn can get quite extensive indeed.
If you want to secure your home’s perimeter from fleas, then plant and grow this plant. Sage should go on all fields.
10. Lemon Grass
Lemongrass or Cymbopogon is grass that smells and tastes like lemons. Asian cuisine makes extensive use of it as a tasty ingredient a la laurel leaves.
Its presence in your garden should reduce mosquito infestations as well as flea populations. The grass repels both of those insects.
11. Sweet Bay
Bay leaves or sweet bay is part of the laurel family. Many a cook should be familiar with it. It’s a common culinary ingredient. Whether dried or fresh, the leaves are effective in driving away pests like fleas and flies. It also keeps mice and other vermin away.
12. Citronella
Citronella is more well-known as a deterrent of mosquitoes. However, those jumpy fleas don’t like the citrus smell of the plant either.
Keep the flea population down by having this plant around. Your dog and cats or other furry friends will thank you for it. Plus, it smells quite nice too.
13. Tansy Ragwort
The weed plant with the funny name is an effective all-around insect repellant. On top of repelling fleas, it also gets rid of scabies and lice.
Jacobaea Vulgaris is a common wildflower. It contains many different alkaloids, making it toxic to certain animals, not only fleas.
14. Eucalyptus
It’s not only a koala’s favorite snack. The eucalyptus plant is also unappealing to fleas thanks to its scent. It helps that it’s an ornamental tree with waxy leaves and a robust aroma that’s appealing to humans. Its eucalyptus oil is great for skin ulcers and arthritis as well as asthma.
Related: 15 Best Plants That Repel Roaches
15. Wormwood
This herb is widely known as a potent flea repellant plant. It’s an ornamental plant that serves as an ingredient for absinthe, which is a spirit or alcoholic drink.
It’s best cultivated in dry soil. It should be planted under immense sun exposure. Its soil should be nitrogen-enriched and fertile to boot.
Related: 20 Best Plants That Repel Snakes
16. Chrysanthemums
You’d want to plant chrysanthemums even if your pets don’t have flea infestations. They’re beautiful flowers that can stylishly decorate any flowerbed worth its salt, after all.
Its pyrethrum chemical repels many insects, including fleas and ticks. They’re worth having for their beautiful form and useful function for sure. A two-for-one deal.
17. Lavender
This fragrant and beautiful plant repels fleas. It’s like a rose with how it has a pleasing scent, vibrant flowers, and attractive foliage. Meanwhile, the perennial plant is like DEET or flea powder when it comes to fleas. What’s not to like about it?
In Summation
Get rid of fleas around the home organically by growing these plants around entrances. Dress up your back patio and front porch with these flea-repelling plants except the toxic ones. Put those toxic plants away from access to your pets. Although these plants help in repelling fleas, don’t put the more toxic ones near pets.
Avoid putting the following wherever your pets hang out: Citronella, eucalyptus, fleawort, pennyroyal/fleabane, rue, sweet bay, tansy, and wormwood. The rest are safe to be around pets. You can also use flea powder and regular baths in tandem with these flea repellents for the best results. Your pets will appreciate the effort.
