Securing Your Home With Plants, Trees & Shrubs

By Jackson Murphy

Plants, trees, shrubs and bushes around your home can offer some of the best lines of defense against intruders. With so many cameras and systems to choose from when setting up a home security system for you and your family, it’s important to remember that outdoor plants, if placed and maintained appropriately, can provide an alternative way to deter intruders. Usually a one time cost, certain plants that feature thorns and spikes are a great way to set up an outside perimeter of barbed wire vegetation that will guarantee a second thought of entry onto your property.

Types of Plants

Thorny plants like cactus’ or blackberry hedges are perfect for defending your home. Intruders who have the bad luck of stumbling into one of these plants will not be very happy. They can grow over and through fences, have spiny branches and grow about 5-6 feet tall. Still, the intruder could potentially not be bothered by these. Try planting a Pyracantha aka the fire thorn bush. It’s sharp barbed leaves act just as barbed wire would around a prison. Rose bushes and Voodoo rose bushes under windows add of touch of style to your home security needs. Not only are they beautiful, the thorny stems and leaves are not something anyone wants to be attacked by. The wounds sting and burn once the skin is broken, causing the skin to become itchy and distraction for the intruder.

Other plants that have spiked leaves or tiny biting teeth are the Oregon grape holly. This plant grows upward and can run along the edges of your home or along fencing on the outside perimeters. The Washington hawthorn has amazing 3” spiked thorns that could literally stop an intruder in its tracks. These plants can grow up to and over 30 feet over time and have nice curb appeal.

Tips to Remember

It’s important you don’t get carried away when deciding how many and which types of plants to fill your yard with. You don’t want thick shrubbery that will add too much privacy to your home or give an intruder an opportunity to hide while waiting to make a move. It’s very important that all walkways, door entries and windows are visible for you and your neighbors. Spotting an unwelcome guest before it’s too late could be crucial in certain situations.

When planting trees that are large or will grow to be large, make sure there is enough room or a gap between the branches and the roof of homes, second story windows and balconies as well as neighbors roofs, windows and balconies. Trimming back branches and shrubbery can eliminate easy access ways to your home. Also keep in mind if you have basement windows, not to have too much vegetation growing along the sides of the house. Instead line the perimeter of your yard and walkways with low, thin plants.