Chipmunks are small rodents that can be found all over North America, from woodlands to parks to backyards. These animals play an important role in our ecosystem by helping disperse seeds for a variety of plants as well as helping aerate soil by digging burrows; however, they can become quite a nuisance to households across North America.
Chipmunks are omnivores, and they will eat just about anything they can find, including many plants commonly found in gardens. Because they are burrowing animals, they can also cause structural damage under foundations and patios, so these furry rodents may not be the greatest visitor in your backyard.
Fortunately, chipmunk populations can be managed and deterred in a humane way. Although it may seem like chipmunks will stop at nothing to eat any plant in a yard, there are some garden plants that have been shown to repel chipmunks. While there are many types of plants that chipmunks do not enjoy eating, the most effective plants that keep chipmunks away are highly aromatic or toxic.
With some strategic planting, you can have a beautiful garden or yard free from pesky chipmunks. If you have noticed holes in your yard, or if your plants have gone missing, consider planting these chipmunk repellent plants listed below.
1) French marigold (Tagetes patula)
French marigolds are fragrant annual flowers that bloom in beautiful colors. These plants grow about 6 – 12 inches tall, and some marigolds will bloom with just one row of petals, while others will look more spherical with many rows of petals. French marigolds come in a variety of reds, oranges, and yellows, and botanists were recently successful in creating a pink marigold flower. Currently, botanists are trying to figure out ways to make marigolds that last longer and are more disease resistant.
French marigolds can be grown from seeds, and if you choose to plant them from seeds, it’s best to sow the seeds indoors when frost is still a concern. They can also be planted directly in soil outside once the temperatures are higher. These flowers can be planted pretty densely, but they need areas of full sun and soil that can drain relatively well. French marigolds can be planted around the perimeter of houses, in flower beds, and even in vegetable gardens. Marigolds are actually great companion plants to many vegetables and fruits, such as cucumbers and melons, because it is believed they keep a variety of bugs, like aphids and nematodes, away from the garden. These flowers are also believed to repel chipmunks because of the strong fragrance they emit.
2) Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)
There are about 60 different species of Narcissus around the world, and these perennial flowers are commonly known for their cheery yellow petals complete with a cup-like structure in the center. Daffodils are very fragrant flowers and are often used in perfumes, and they have also been used to derive galantamine, a drug being used for Alzheimer’s disease.
Daffodils are grown from bulbs that should be planted in well-drained soil in the fall. These flowers will start to emerge in the spring, and they will need plenty of direct sunlight to grow well. Daffodils can be planted in rows that line gardens, fences, or houses, but they should be planted 4 – 6 inches apart. While chipmunks love to eat many flowering bulbs, they will stay away from daffodils because this plant contains a compound called lycorine. Lycorine is very bitter and toxic to many animals including chipmunks, so these animals will know to stay away.
3) Allium (Allium spp.)
Alliums are onion plants that are favored by gardeners due to their long-lasting flowers and delicious bulbs and leaves. Ornamental alliums are generally not edible and will bloom into beautiful puffs of blues, yellows, pinks, and whites. Edible alliums such as onions, chives, and leeks, are usually harvested before any flowers bloom to add some flavor to meals. Alliums provide a great variation in appearance since there are around 700 species.
Alliums can be planted as seeds or bulbs, and they need well-drained soil and lots of sun to survive. Alliums make a beautiful addition to flower gardens, and they will also survive well if planted among tasty vegetables like tomatoes. Alliums contain cysteine sulfoxide, which is a compound that gives onions, garlic, and other alliums their taste and smell. Because alliums have a strong scent, chipmunks will steer clear of these plants. A study has found that using sulfur fertilizer instead of nitrogen fertilizer will actually increase cysteine sulfoxide production in alliums, so if you want a more effective repellent, consider using sulfur fertilizer.
4) Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum)
Grape hyacinths are perennial flowers that get their name from their purple to blue cluster of flowers that almost resemble bunches of grapes, although they can bloom yellow or white flowers as well. These flowers are wildly popular around the globe, and they are often seen in the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland where they are planted in dense patches that resemble a “blue river.”
Grape hyacinths are planted as bulbs in the fall, and they need well-drained soil and a significant amount of sunlight. These flowers can be planted in rock gardens or near vegetables and fruits or dispersed among other flowers to help ward off chipmunks. The genus name, Muscari, actually means “musk” in Greek, which represents the strong scent that grape hyacinths give off. While these flowers smell delightful to humans, chipmunks are deterred by the strength of the scent, so these flowers are a perfect addition to any household.
5) Common camas (Camassia quamash)
Common camas is a perennial herb that contains eight different subspecies. These plants bloom into clusters of deep violet-blue or sky blue star-shaped flowers. They can grow up to 3 feet tall, and they can easily grow in clusters that create sheets of blue. Indigenous groups of the Pacific Northwest heavily rely on camas as a food source, and camas prairies are still maintained by certain groups today. Camas bulbs are often boiled and eaten or dried and pounded into flour, and they were also an important trade item within indigenous groups.
Camas are planted as bulbs in fall or early winter. They are more tolerant to different conditions compared to other perennial bulbs, but they thrive in well-drained, slightly acidic soil that receives plenty of sunlight. These plants do best when they are undisturbed, so planting bulbs 6 – 8 inches apart in an area that sees little to no foot traffic would be best for camas. Much like other flowering bulbs, camas give off a strong scent, which is excellent for our enjoyment but repels rodents like chipmunks away from these plants.
6) Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa)
Glory-of-the-snow is a perennial flowering plant that gets its name because they bloom very early in the spring even if there is still snow on the ground. These plants can grow about 4 – 6 inches tall and are known for their bundles of beautiful blue, pink, and white saucer-shaped flowers.
Glory-of-the-snow bulbs should be planted in the fall in well-drained soil and in an area with partial to full sunlight. These flowers can do well around house perimeters as well as rocky areas. They can even be planted under deciduous trees because they fully bloom and die before trees even grow spring leaves. These are fragrant flowers, so just like other strong-smelling plants, glory-of-the-snow flowers could deter chipmunks.
7) Summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum)
Summer snowflakes are perennials that can grow 14 – 18 inches tall and display 4 – 8 white bell-shaped flowers. These flowers have a light chocolate scent, which makes them a unique addition to any garden. Bulbs of summer snowflakes do best when planted in well-drained soil, but they can grow well in boggy areas as well, making them a great flower to plant around garden ponds. They will also do well if planted closer together, so creating sheets of these beautiful white flowers makes a great addition to any flower bed.
Summer snowflakes contain lycorine, much like daffodils, and can also be used in medicine by helping create drugs that aid in tumor suppression and have antiviral and antifungal properties. Because lycorine is toxic, chipmunks know to steer clear of these plants. A study has found that these plants contain the highest level of lycorine in their leaves during November and the highest level of lycorine in their bulbs in July, so they are great to keep around even after they have bloomed.
8) English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
English lavender is one of the most common lavender species, and it is famously known for the rod of tiny purple flowers that smell delightfully floral. The scent of this herb is wildly popular and can be found anywhere from candles and perfumes to soaps and dryer sheets. Lavender has had many uses throughout thousands of years including the extraction of its oils for mummification in ancient Egypt, stress relief, sleep aid, and much more.
English lavender grows best if started as a young plant that is planted in the spring after frost threats have been mitigated. This plant is not picky about soil quality, but they do need full sun and soil that drains well in order to survive. Lavender is a great plant to have around the yard because it can have so many uses in the home. If you would like to harvest lavender, the best time to do it would be in the morning because it is the time of day that the oils are most concentrated; however, lavender will also be doing an important job of keeping bugs and other rodents like chipmunks away from where it is planted because it has such a strong and distinct scent.
9) Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sage is a perennial herb that grows whitish-green leaves and beautiful spiked purple flowers. This herb is commonly used in kitchens today, but its uses have been documented for centuries. Sage was wildly popular as a tea in China and France, and ancient Romans used sage to cure ulcers, help stop bleeding, and soothe sore throats. Sage is still used medicinally and is believed to help treat Alzheimer’s, depression, cardiovascular disease, gum disease, and hot flashes.
Sage is easiest to grow by planting a young plant in well-drained and highly nutrient soil in the early spring. Sage needs full sun but will not tolerate high heat or humidity because these plants are susceptible to mildew issues. If you do live in a more humid and hot environment, consider using pebbles as mulch around the sage plant because water will evaporate quickly off of the stones. Sage does well when planted near other herbs and vegetables like carrots and cabbage, but sage (and other fragrant herbs) should not be planted near cucumbers because they can stunt the cucumbers’ growth. Because sage has a strong scent, it is a plant that may be effective in repelling chipmunks.
10) Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
Peppermint is a hybrid herb that results from the cross between watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata). Peppermint has toothed green leaves that are about 1 – 2 inches long, and they contain the minty oils that have made peppermint famous. This herb has been enjoyed for centuries from ancient Greeks using the plant to try to cure hiccups to the present day where we can find peppermint flavor in our candy and coffees. Peppermint is also used medicinally for headaches, pain, coughing, and sore throats.
Peppermint is best grown in rich, moist soils in partial to full sunlight, although the more sun the plant receives, the more potent the oils will be. These plants are spread by rhizomes, so they can grow out of control quickly if not maintained. The best way to keep these plants under control is to have them potted, or they can be planted in a bed that has borders buried slightly in the ground. The leaves of peppermint can be harvested to use in the kitchen as well as for its oils. Peppermint oil is commonly used to deter rodents away because the strong menthol scent may irritate their noses, so having peppermint around the house in any form is a great way to deter chipmunks.
I love Marigolds and I’ve been meaning to plant them but now that I know they repel chipmunks I’m definitely gonna get started with them!!! Thank you!
The chipmunks in my yard just eliminated the French marigolds I put in last week, and they dug out the roots to eat too! A few dead flowers are strewn about the large pots where I had planted them.
Marigolds around my tomato plants did not stop chipmunks from eating them!
They worked for me plus chili pepper around my plants.
I found that cracked up egg shell around the plants keep rodents away. It like they are walking on glass.
Love Chipmunks – but not my neighbors any way to deter them from hanging around my house?