Spiders may be beneficial for controlling pests, but not everyone wants them lurking around their home or garden. Fortunately, there are plants that repel spiders naturally, thanks to their strong scents and chemical compounds. Many of these plants not only keep spiders away but also add beauty and fragrance to your surroundings. Whether you prefer herbs, flowers, or shrubs, choosing the right plants can help create a spider-free environment without the need for harsh chemicals.
From aromatic herbs like lavender and peppermint to powerful insect-repelling flowers like chrysanthemums and marigolds, nature offers a variety of solutions for keeping spiders at bay. These plants that repel spiders work by emitting odors that disrupt spiders’ sensory receptors, making them less likely to settle in areas where these plants are present. Some even contain natural insecticides that deter not just spiders but also mosquitoes, ants, and other unwanted pests.
In this guide, we’ll explore 25 of the best plants that repel spiders, complete with pictures and detailed descriptions. You’ll learn how each plant works, how to use them effectively, and which USDA hardiness zones they thrive in. Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor solutions, these plants will help you maintain a more comfortable, spider-free space.
Different Types of Plants That Repel Spiders
Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
Lavender is a fragrant, perennial herb known for its soothing purple blooms and relaxing scent. It thrives in full sun and well-draining soil, making it a favorite in gardens and landscapes. Its drought-resistant nature and ability to attract pollinators further enhance its appeal.
Why it repels spiders: Spiders strongly dislike the intense floral scent of lavender. The plant’s essential oils act as a natural deterrent, making it an effective pest-repelling choice.
How to use: Plant lavender around your home, in garden borders, or near entry points. Indoors, dried lavender sachets or lavender essential oil can help keep spiders away.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)
Peppermint is a fast-growing herb known for its refreshing aroma and cooling menthol properties. It spreads vigorously and is best contained in pots to prevent it from overtaking garden spaces. This herb is widely used in teas, culinary dishes, and natural remedies.
Why it repels spiders: The intense menthol fragrance overwhelms spiders’ senses, making it difficult for them to navigate and detect prey. This strong aroma keeps them away effectively.
How to use: Grow peppermint in pots near windows, doorways, or patio areas. Additionally, you can make a DIY spider-repellent spray by mixing peppermint essential oil with water and spraying it around problem areas.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–11
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
Rosemary is a hardy, evergreen herb with needle-like leaves and a distinctive woody fragrance. It is commonly used in cooking, landscaping, and herbal remedies. This plant prefers well-draining soil and full sun, making it a low-maintenance option for gardens.
Why it repels spiders: The strong, woody scent of rosemary is unappealing to spiders, making it an excellent natural deterrent. Its essential oils also contribute to repelling other insects.
How to use: Place potted rosemary plants near windows, doorways, and outdoor seating areas. You can also dry rosemary sprigs and hang them indoors to keep spiders away.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7–10
Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.)
Eucalyptus is a fast-growing tree or shrub known for its aromatic leaves and medicinal properties. It thrives in warm climates and is commonly used in herbal medicine, essential oils, and decorative arrangements.
Why it repels spiders: The potent eucalyptus scent disrupts spiders’ ability to detect prey and navigate their surroundings, making it an effective natural deterrent.
How to use: Grow eucalyptus outdoors in warm climates or keep small potted varieties inside. Eucalyptus oil sprays can be applied around windows, doorways, and dark corners to repel spiders.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8–11
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Chrysanthemums are vibrant, long-blooming flowers that come in a variety of colors, adding beauty to gardens and homes. These flowers are known for their insect-repelling properties and are often used in natural pest control.
Why it repels spiders: Chrysanthemums contain pyrethrin, a natural insecticide that repels many pests, including spiders. This compound is commonly used in commercial insect repellents.
How to use: Plant chrysanthemums in garden beds, near entryways, or in decorative pots indoors. Keeping potted chrysanthemums around windows and doors can help deter spiders effectively.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Lemon balm is a hardy perennial herb known for its fresh, lemony scent and medicinal properties. It thrives in partial to full sun and well-drained soil, making it a low-maintenance addition to gardens. Its leaves are commonly used in teas, culinary dishes, and herbal remedies.
Why it repels spiders: The citrusy aroma of lemon balm is unappealing to spiders, making it a natural deterrent against these arachnids.
How to use: Plant lemon balm around windows, doors, and garden pathways to create a protective barrier. Crushed leaves release a stronger scent, so rubbing them on entry points can enhance their effectiveness.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Basil is a fragrant, fast-growing herb widely used in cooking and herbal medicine. It prefers warm temperatures, full sun, and well-drained soil. This herb is often grown in containers or garden beds for easy access to its fresh leaves.
Why it repels spiders: The strong scent of basil acts as a natural deterrent, keeping spiders and other pests at bay.
How to use: Keep potted basil near windows, doorways, and kitchen counters to prevent spiders from entering. Regularly crushing a few leaves can help release more aroma for enhanced effectiveness.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10–11 (grown as an annual in colder regions)
Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus)
Citronella is a tall, clumping grass best known for its use in insect-repellent candles and sprays. It thrives in warm climates and prefers full sun with moist, well-drained soil. Besides repelling pests, it adds an attractive, tropical look to gardens.
Why it repels spiders: The strong lemon-like scent of citronella makes it difficult for spiders to navigate, discouraging them from settling in treated areas.
How to use: Plant citronella in pots near patios, doorways, or windows to keep spiders away. Alternatively, use citronella essential oil diluted in water to spray around the house.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 10–12
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
Lemongrass is a fast-growing herb with a refreshing citrus fragrance. It is commonly used in cooking, herbal medicine, and natural pest control. This plant thrives in warm, humid climates and requires full sun and well-drained soil.
Why it repels spiders: Like citronella, lemongrass contains citral and geraniol—compounds known to repel spiders and other insects.
How to use: Grow lemongrass in outdoor garden beds or keep it in pots near entryways. You can also crush the leaves and rub them around problem areas for a stronger effect.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9–11
Marigold (Tagetes spp.)
Marigolds are bright, easy-to-grow flowers that add a pop of color to gardens and landscapes. They thrive in full sun and well-draining soil, making them a popular choice for borders, garden beds, and pots.
Why it repels spiders: Marigolds produce a strong, pungent scent that spiders find unappealing. Additionally, they help deter other insects, such as mosquitoes and aphids.
How to use: Plant marigolds around your home’s perimeter, in garden beds, or in pots near entryways. They work well in companion planting to protect vegetable gardens from pests.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2–11 (varies by species)
Geranium (Pelargonium spp.)
Geraniums are vibrant flowering plants known for their colorful blooms and fragrant leaves. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, making them a popular choice for gardens, balconies, and window boxes. Some varieties contain citronella, enhancing their insect-repelling properties.
Why it repels spiders: The strong fragrance of geraniums, particularly varieties with citronella, helps deter spiders and other insects from settling nearby.
How to use: Grow geraniums in pots near windows, balconies, or doorways to create a spider-repellent barrier. Crushing fresh leaves and rubbing them on surfaces can release more scent for stronger protection.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9–12
Onion & Garlic (Allium spp.)
Alliums, including onions and garlic, are hardy perennials commonly grown for culinary and medicinal purposes. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, producing strong-scented bulbs that deter many pests.
Why it repels spiders: The pungent odor of onions and garlic overwhelms spiders and many other insects, making these plants natural repellents.
How to use: Plant onions and garlic in garden beds near entry points or around vegetable patches to keep pests away. Indoors, placing fresh garlic cloves near windows, corners, or dark spaces can help deter spiders.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)
Wormwood is a hardy, silver-leaved herbaceous plant known for its bitter taste and strong scent. It thrives in dry, well-drained soil and full sun, making it an excellent addition to pest-repelling gardens.
Why it repels spiders: Wormwood contains absinthin, a natural compound that produces a sharp, bitter aroma that spiders find unpleasant.
How to use: Plant wormwood in garden beds or containers near windows and doorways. Dried wormwood bundles can be hung indoors to help deter spiders from corners and storage areas.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–9
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Bay laurel is an aromatic evergreen shrub or small tree prized for its glossy leaves, which are commonly used in cooking. It grows best in warm, Mediterranean-like climates with well-draining soil and full sun to partial shade.
Why it repels spiders: The natural aromatic compounds in bay laurel leaves act as a deterrent for spiders and other household pests.
How to use: Grow bay laurel in pots near entryways, patios, or gardens. Dried bay leaves can be placed in cupboards, windowsills, and corners to help prevent spiders from settling indoors.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8–10
Mint (Mentha spp.)
Mint is a fast-growing herb with a refreshing aroma, often used in teas, cooking, and medicinal applications. It thrives in moist soil and partial to full sun, making it a great addition to both gardens and indoor containers.
Why it repels spiders: The strong scent of mint, especially spearmint and peppermint, acts as a natural spider deterrent.
How to use: Grow mint in pots around the home, near entry points, or place fresh mint leaves in corners and window sills. Spraying diluted peppermint oil can also enhance its repellent effect.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–11
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme is a hardy, aromatic herb known for its culinary and medicinal benefits. It prefers dry, well-drained soil and full sun, making it easy to grow in gardens or containers.
Why it repels spiders: The distinct fragrance of thyme helps keep spiders, mosquitoes, and other pests away.
How to use: Plant thyme around outdoor seating areas or in pots near windows and doors. Dried thyme can also be placed indoors to deter spiders.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
Clove is an evergreen tree known for its fragrant flower buds, commonly used as a spice. It thrives in warm, humid climates with well-draining soil.
Why it repels spiders: Clove contains eugenol, a potent compound that repels spiders and other insects.
How to use: Grow clove trees in large pots or garden spaces. Alternatively, sprinkle ground clove powder around entryways or use clove oil diluted in water as a spray.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9–12
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sage is a drought-tolerant herb with silvery-green leaves, commonly used in cooking and herbal remedies. It thrives in well-drained soil and full sun.
Why it repels spiders: Sage’s strong, earthy scent deters spiders, mosquitoes, and flies.
How to use: Grow sage in garden beds or pots near doors and windows. Burning dried sage leaves can also help keep spiders away indoors.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–10
Cedar (Cedrus spp.)
Cedar trees are evergreen conifers known for their aromatic wood and resistance to pests. They thrive in well-drained soil and full sun.
Why it repels spiders: Cedarwood contains natural oils that deter spiders, roaches, bed bugs, and moths.
How to use: Use cedar mulch around the house, place cedar blocks in storage areas, or plant cedar trees as a natural barrier.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6–9
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium)
Pennyroyal is a member of the mint family, known for its extremely strong scent. It grows well in moist, well-drained soil and full to partial sun.
Why it repels spiders: The intense aroma of pennyroyal repels spiders, fleas, and mosquitoes.
How to use: Grow pennyroyal in pots near entrances or use diluted pennyroyal essential oil as a repellent spray.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6–9
Rue (Ruta graveolens)
Rue is a hardy perennial herb with blue-green leaves and a strong, pungent smell. It prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
Why it repels spiders: The potent scent of rue keeps spiders and other insects at bay.
How to use: Plant rue in gardens as a natural repellent or place dried sprigs indoors. Wearing gloves is recommended when handling fresh rue, as it may cause skin irritation.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6–11
Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana is a colorful flowering plant that thrives in hot, sunny conditions. It produces small clusters of vibrant flowers that attract pollinators.
Why it repels spiders: Lantana emits a strong scent that repels spiders, mosquitoes, and flies.
How to use: Grow lantana in garden beds or pots near patios and windows. Its bright flowers also make it an attractive landscape plant.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8–11
Tobacco Plant (Nicotiana tabacum)
The tobacco plant is a fast-growing, leafy plant primarily cultivated for its nicotine-rich leaves. It prefers warm temperatures and full sun.
Why it repels spiders: The nicotine in tobacco plants naturally repels spiders and other insects.
How to use: Grow tobacco plants in gardens or place dried tobacco leaves in dark corners and near entry points to deter spiders.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8–11
Conclusion
Thus, this list includes more than 25 plants that naturally repel spiders. If you need indoor plants, mint, basil, bay laurel, and pennyroyal mint are good choices. If you prefer outdoor plants, you can opt for marigold, wormwood, or lemongrass.
