Plants with Purpose - Attraction and Repulsion

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Plants with Purpose - Attraction and Repulsion

STRANGE. You set out to sell plants that attract wildlife, then find you are doing the opposite! In the last couple of months, I’ve been asked for plants to deter rabbits, cats, mice, moles, various insects, and even red deer!

All plants, but especially aromatic herbs, contain chemicals with power to attract or repel various wildlife, including human. It’s the basis of pollination, of avoiding competition from other plants, and of companion planting, as when French Marigolds in the greenhouse deter whitefly from entering.

Rabbits are difficult. There are plants they don’t like to eat, such as sage, lavender, Artemisia or catmint, but if there’s nothing better, may even start on these. Growing aromatic or bitter herbs may persuade them to go to someone else’s garden, or grow a sacrificial crop of some vegetable you really dislike to keep them off your prized plants!

Cats are said to hate Rue (Ruta graveolens), and will avoid using a border containing it as a toilet. Rue, with attractive blue-grey foliage and yellow flowers is bitter, with a pungent aroma and sap that is a skin irritant. Conversely, cats go crazy for catmint (Nepeta cataria, the true catmint, works best). A glycoside chemical also found in White Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is what stimulates them, to the point of tearing, rolling on and even eating the plants. But the same chemical, in Valerian especially, has an almost paralysing effect on rats and mice. Attraction or repulsion? Either way, the evil-smelling roots are used as bait for rodents and may well have been the Pied Pipers secret weapon!

Regarding moles, there is a very architectural, biennial native known as Caper Spurge or Mole Plant (Euphorbia lathyrus), which you could try if moles insist on digging your garden for you. All Euphorbias contain toxins, released in the milky sap, and should be handled with care. Seemingly moles, with their highly-developed sense of smell, avoid the root runs of this plant. Folklore, maybe, but my neighbour, whose garden was overrun with moles when they moved in decades ago, were advised to introduce this plant. They have not seen a mole in the garden since. “This isn’t just a story,” said my neighbour, “it really happened!”

Choose aromatic plants to repel insects. Grow pennyroyal to deter ants (and mice) and use the dried leaves as a repellent in the kitchen. All the Artemisia family help keep insects out of the house. In Italy I took to wearing a sprig of Absinthe (Artemisia absinthium) behind the ear while walking. Appleringie, or Southernwood (A. abrotanum) was used as flea powder, and laid dried between tissue paper with clothes to keep moths away. Bunches of mint hung in the doorway have a similar effect on flies, and smell lovely whenever you brush against them.

As for Red Deer, I’m working on it!