What plants are natural mosquito repellent
7 Plants that Repel Bugs and Mosquitos
Say goodbye to insects and pests with these edible herbs and flowering plants.
a mint plant with mosquitos flying away
Credit: Getty Images / Somrudee Doikaewkhao / SCIEPRO
After an especially cold winter and rainy spring, warmer weather feels like a special (and well-deserved) treat. Being able to spend time outside without a hat or a jacket? A dream. That said, one not-so-lovable part of the warmer temps are the return of bugs, particularly mosquitos. Most people, myself included, will go to great lengths to fend them off to enjoy the sunshine in peace.
There are several topical mosquito repellents (like these ones you can buy on Amazon) as well as natural sprays and oils to keep them at bay. For an extra level of protection, surround yourself and your yard with these plants that repel bugs and mosquitoes.
1. Citronella
This may not be a surprise considering citronella is a popular ingredient for natural mosquito repellents, patio candles and more. But you might not know that citronella is actually a grass you can plant in your yard. Most citronella products are made with the fragrant oil the plant expels. Research has shown that topical citronella products only last for about two hours since the oils evaporate quickly, so having plants around is a nice insurance against biting pests. Citronella grass can grow up to six feet tall and six feet wide, so be sure to space them accordingly. The grass also prefers filtered sunlight (think: in the sun but with a tree overhead) and frequent watering.
2. Lavender
The aroma of lavender helps deter mosquitos, and research shows that lavender essential oils repel most species for six to eight hours. If you grow the fragrant plant on the grounds around your house, it can also attract helpful pollinators to create a profusion of purple flowers. Lavender should be planted about 2 to 3 feet apart to allow them space to grow, and they thrive in direct sunlight. Water the plants once or twice per week, depending on the dryness of the soil.
3. Marigolds
While they might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to mosquito repellent, marigolds have several insecticidal constituents (aka compounds that repel several types of insects), making them beloved by gardeners and landscapers. Similarly to other insect-repelling plants, the scent from the marigold flowers can help keep bugs at bay. Plus, this plant doesn't take up much space, is relatively low-maintenance and produces beautiful, colorful flowers all summer long.
4. Nasturtiums
Nasturtiums are vining edible flowers with attractive circular leaves and colorful petals. Unlike other plants that repel pests, nasturtiums actually attract them to draw them away from your other plants (or from you). If you have a garden, nasturtiums are helpful for protecting cucumbers, tomatoes, squash and more from common pests like aphids, beetles and flies (this relationship is called companion planting). Nasturtiums can trail throughout open space in the garden, so be sure to plant them at least 10 to 12 inches apart.
They thrive in areas with six to eight hours of direct sunlight. Plus, their gorgeous flowers are totally edible and can give your salad an aesthetic upgrade.
5. Rosemary
Along with being a delectable and versatile herb, rosemary leaf contains oils that have been shown to be an effective mosquito repellent. Rosemary is easy to grow and is popular with home growers. It can thrive in a garden, a window box or even in your landscaping. Plus, having a rosemary plant around makes it easier to when it comes time to season your food.
6. Basil
If you needed another reason to have a basil plant nearby this summer, we've got you covered. Beyond its aroma, basil leaves have compounds that can actually kill mosquito larvae before they hatch, which might help to reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard. Basil plants can also help attract pollinators to help your yard and garden thrive… and their leaves make a delicious pesto. Basil is one of the easiest herbs to grow and is a staple of summertime, so save a spot for it in your yard.
7. Mint
Mint is yet another fragrant herb that has pest-fighting properties. Menthol, the active insect-fighting ingredient in mint and peppermint oil, has biocidal properties that help repel and control mites, mosquitoes and various other pests. It grows like a weed and is a perfect plant for beginners (Make sure to grow it in its own pot, if you don't want it to spread). Once it's thriving, you can use mint leaves for a variety of dishes from Lemon, Cucumber & Mint Infused Water to a fresh mint chutney.
12 Mosquito Repellent Plants | Garden Design
What are the best plants to keep mosquitoes away? Plant these 12 plants in your garden for their colorful and fragrant display, plus their ability to keep uninvited bugs out. By Christine Yoo Updated 6/1/2022
Most insect-repelling plants do so with their natural fragrances, which keep annoying mosquitoes away and introduce wonderful scents throughout your garden. If you don't want to douse yourself or your garden in chemical bug sprays you can grow some of these plants to help keep mosquitoes away naturally.
Plant these plants in areas where guests will be often such as by a seating area or a doorway.
Grow these 12 plants to naturally repel mosquitos:
Sweet Romance® lavender. Photo by: Proven Winners
1. Lavender
Buy Now
Have you ever noticed that insects or even rabbits and other animals have never decimated your lavender plant? It is because of their lovely fragrance, which comes from its essential oils that are found on the leaves of the plant. It is even argued that lavender oil hinders a mosquito’s ability to smell! This plant is very tough and drought-resistant once established, and only needs full sun and good drainage. And while it can endure many climates, it thrives in warmer areas. Read more about growing lavender.
Plant type: Perennial
Zones: 5-11, depending on type
Bloom time: Summer to fall
Buy lavender from Proven Winners.
Marigold flowers.
2. Marigold
Marigolds, an easy-to-grow annual flower, emit a smell that deters mosquitoes. Grow them in pots and place them near your patio or entrance to your home to keep bugs out. Marigolds are also a popular addition to borders and vegetable gardens. According to NYBG, not only can they keep away mosquitoes, but they also dissuade aphids, thrips, whiteflies, Mexican bean beetles, squash bugs, and tomato hornworms. Read more about growing marigold flowers.
Plant type: Annual
Bloom time: Late spring until frost
Citronella grass.
3. Citronella Grass (Lemon Grass)
Buy Now
Known for its distinct smell, citronella grass (or lemon grass) is the most commonly used natural ingredient in mosquito repellants. In fact, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden recommends lemon-scented plants such as citronella grass to keep mosquitoes at bay. And the good news is that the living plant is the most effective at repelling pests.
This low-maintenance plant does best in large planters because it cannot withstand frost, but in warmer climates, can be planted directly a sunny area in the ground.
Plant type: Usually grown as an annual
Zones: 9-11
Buy lemon grass from Proven Winners.
'Cat's Meow' catmint. Photo by: Proven Winners.
4. Catmint
Buy Now
Catnip (catmint) can be found thriving almost anywhere. It is from the mint family and grows abundantly both as a commercial plant and as a weed. It is very easy to take care of and may even start to invade other areas of your garden. However, if you are willing to forgo this plant’s insidious nature, they are amazing mosquito repellants and another recommendation from the BBG. In a study at Iowa State University, catmint was found to be ten times more effective than DEET, the chemical used in most insect repellants. Read more about growing catmint plants.
Plant type: Perennial
Zones: 3-8
Bloom time: Early summer to fall
Buy catmint from Proven Winners.
Rosemary.
5. Rosemary
Another great mosquito repellant is rosemary. Both the New York Botanical Garden and PlantShed recommended this plant. Rosemary is an herb that many of us are very familiar with and their woody scent is exactly what keeps mosquitoes as well as cabbage moths and carrot flies away. They do best in hot and dry climates and thrive in containers, which may be ideal for areas with winters. They can also be pruned into all sorts of shapes and sizes and make great borders or decorations. While the pests stay away you can enjoy the herb’s scent and also use it to season your cooking.
Plant type: Perennial herb
Zones: 7-10
Amazel Basil® sweet Italian basil. Photo by: Proven Winners.
5. Basil
Buy Now
Basil is another herb that can also double as a pest repellent. The pungent smell the basil leaves give off are what keep pests at bay. And since all kinds of basil work to keep flies and mosquitoes at bay, feel free to explore and find the right types of basil to mix into your garden.
This herb likes to be kept damp, needs good drainage, and enjoys lots of sun. You can plant basil in containers or in the garden, alone or with other flowers, as long as both plants meet the same requirements. Read more about growing basil.
Plant type: Usually grown as an annual
Zones: 10-11
Bloom time: Summer to frost
Buy basil from Proven Winners.
Scented geranium. Photo by: Proven Winners.
7. Citronella / Scented Geranium
Buy Now
Scented geraniums are also a popular mosquito-repelling plant. Recommended by PlantShed, BBG, and NYBG, the favored scent seems to be lemon scented, which is reminiscent of citronella grass. The strong fragrance keeps several types of pests away. These fast-growing plants like warm, sunny, and dry climates, but if you are in a cold-climate area, they can be grown in planters with constant pruning. Read more about growing geraniums.
Plant type: Usually grown as an annual
Zones: 10-11
Bloom time: Spring to fall
Buy citronella (mosquito plant) from Proven Winners.
'Pardon My Cerise' bee balm. Photo by: Proven Winners.
8. Bee Balm
Buy Now
Want to attract good bugs like bees and butterflies, while deterring the bad ones? Then bee balm, also known as Monarda or horsemint, is the plant for you. Simply crush its leaves to release the fragrant oils. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy colorful flowers, in shades of red, pink, lavender, white, or purple, all summer long. Read more about growing bee balm.
Plant type: Perennial
Zones: 4-8
Bloom time: Mid to late summer
Buy bee balm from Proven Winners.
Mint.
9. Mint
Mint is an excellent nontoxic option for keeping mosquitoes, flies and even ants away.
The more pungent the aroma, the less bugs you’ll have. Grow it in pots on your patio where it can be easily reached if you want to drop a leaf or two in your afternoon tea. You can even dry the leaves and use them inside your home as a natural pest control method.
Plant type: Perennial herb
Zones: 3-8
Artist® Blue floss flower. Photo by: Proven Winners.
10. Floss Flower (Ageratum)
Buy Now
This attractive annual flower makes great bedding or container plants. Floss flower contains coumarin, a chemical that helps repel mosquitoes—but also makes it toxic if ingested by pets or humans. Read more about growing floss flower.
Plant type: Usually grown as an annual
Zones: 9-10
Bloom time: Planting to hard frost
Buy floss flower from Proven Winners.
Sage. Photo by: Proven Winners.
11. Sage
If you love gathering around a fire pit in your backyard, then plant some sage nearby.
Toss some of the plant into the flames and its earthy smell will ward off bugs. Sage can also be dried and used to make homemade bug spray.
Plant type: Perennial
Zones: 5-8
Allium 'Millenium'. Photo by: Proven Winners.
12. Allium
Buy Now
These bulbs, which include garlic and onions, release a strong fragrance that mosquitoes don’t like. You’ll enjoy the whimsical globe-shaped flowers of allium that seem to float atop long slender, stems. Read more about growing allium bulbs.
Plant type: Bulb
Zones: 3-8, depending on variety
Bloom time: Planting to hard frost
Buy allium plants from Proven Winners.
We consulted with the New York Botanical Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and Plantshed for the best plant options.
More Natural Ways to Keep Mosquitoes Away
In addition to growing the plants listed above, you should also practice good mosquito control in your garden so that the pests don’t get out of hand.
The best thing you can do is prevent water from collecting and becoming stagnant; mosquitoes can lay hundreds of eggs even in a tiny spoonful of standing water. Mosquito rings can be used virtually anywhere you have standing water — rain barrels, birdbaths, water gardens, ponds — even animal watering troughs. They contain a naturally occurring bacterium (Bt israelensis) that kills mosquito larvae.
There are also other natural products available that can help ward off mosquitoes in your garden. These include, citronella torches and candles, as well as essential oils derived from the plants listed here.
The Importance of Mosquito Control
Throughout the years, mosquitoes have transmitted many diseases including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, encephalitis, and more recently the West Nile and Zika viruses. Mosquitoes are even to blame for heartworm in dogs. So it isn’t just about the annoyance or the itchy bite, it is a health concern for your family and pets.
Pin this article for later:
RELATED READING
15 Easy Herbs to Grow
Backyard Landscaping Ideas
Safe Solutions for Pests & Diseases
Plants repellent against flies and mosquitoes
Many flowers and plants are natural repellents - repellers, and even exterminators of insects - and as such have been known to mankind for centuries.
If you want mosquitoes and flies to fly around your site a mile away - read on.
Repellent plants
All repellent plants can be conventionally divided into two broad categories: protectors of the garden from pests and defenders of man and his home from flies and blood-sucking arthropods - mosquitoes, mosquitoes, fleas or ticks. nine0003
We will definitely talk about what plants stand as a human shield in the way of the Colorado potato beetle and other eaters of lush greenery in the following articles. This text is about human protective plants.
Let's divide green "defenders" into two conditional categories to make it easier to plan plantings: essential oil crops and flowers. Efironoses are often planted compactly on a small piece of land - in the so-called "pharmaceutical garden" with medicinal plants. And very in vain. It is much more rational to distribute them throughout the garden in the form of border, framing or mixed plantings.
nine0003
The same applies to repellant flowers, which have a place not only in flowerbeds, but also in locations where you and your guests spend a lot of time - around gazebos, summer kitchens, outdoor toilets, next to the veranda, swimming pool.
Essential oil plants that repel mosquitoes and flies
We must say right away that the list given here is not complete and is limited to plants that are easy to grow, and their repellent effect has been confirmed by scientists. When you finish reading, share your opinion about plants that repel mosquitoes and flies in the comments. nine0003
Basil. The most famous garden ethereal against flies and mosquitoes. The plant repels arthropods with a smell, and itching at the site of the bite can be removed if you knead and attach a leaf.
Mint and Melissa. Known plants from mosquitoes. Choose varieties with a more pronounced menthol flavor.
Rosemary. Grow this spicy herb under the windows of the house and closer to the summer kitchen. Essential oils of rosemary will scare away those mosquitoes that have passed the cordon of mint. nine0003
Agastache or anise lofant. A powerful mosquito repellant, a regular in any European garden or front garden, not widely used in our gardens. A perennial plant that does not require complex care.
Anise. Not only effectively disperses flies and mosquitoes, but also attracts beneficial pollinating insects to the garden.
Lemongrass. One of the most effective live mosquito repellants on earth. The plant is thermophilic and is grown only in a pot culture, but in summer it can be put on a veranda or terrace in a container. Seeds are rarely on sale, but we have them. nine0003
Thyme, also known as thyme. Perennial essential oil and beautiful groundcover. Mosquitoes fear him like the plague. To enhance the effect, you can rub a few shoots of thyme in your palms.
Fennel. Rocker planting plants can completely protect the summer kitchen, porch or terrace from flies. At the end of the season, the seeds can be harvested and used as a spice.
Railing. A beautiful plant with purple leaves, it is included in the vast majority of Japanese dishes, gives a spicy taste to salads, and is used in sushi. And once again and forever scares away flies. nine0003
Rue. An undeservedly forgotten spice and flavor for liqueurs, salads and desserts. In medieval engravings and paintings depicting court sessions, a bouquet of rue is always placed next to the judge. Do you know why? Because it is the most powerful repeller of fleas and bedbugs. Flies, mosquitoes and even ants are afraid of this plant like fire. A nice bonus is that rue is a frost-resistant perennial that is completely maintenance-free.
Flowers against flies and mosquitoes
Repellent flowers can not only scare away arthropod bloodsuckers, but also decorate the garden, and also effectively disguise such obligatory, but unsightly garden artifacts as a summer toilet and a compost heap.
nine0003
Lavender. A wonderful perennial that retains repellent properties both cut and dried. In summer it will scare away flying arthropods, in winter it will scent clothes and bedding in the closet, destroying moths along the way. Lavender angustifolia grows well in the middle lane.
Calendula. Bright and extremely easy to grow, the annual scares away many garden pests and has pronounced repellent properties against mosquitoes.
Geranium. Both garden perennial and pot varieties have been guarding country houses from flies for more than 200 years. This is one of the most trouble-free living repellers of annoying insects. There is no stronger "flycat" among flowering plants. nine0015
Annual marigolds and perennial yarrows also have a pronounced repellent effect against flies and mosquitoes. For masking compost heaps and outbuildings, the indestructible comfrey with large rough leaves and tassels of blue flowers is perfect - all parts of the plant secrete substances that repel flies.
What repellant plants do you use? Please tell us in the comments.
Published: 21 May 2021
Views: 10007
(Votes: 0, Rating: 0)
Share with friends:
Plants repellent from mosquitoes, flies, midges and other insects in the country
The list of plants that insects do not like is quite wide. Planting them on the site is a great solution. You can rest freely at any time without worrying about unpleasant bites, while not using repellents.
This is especially important for people with allergies. Almost all garden plants are hypoallergenic, unlike most repellents, which are contraindicated for allergy sufferers. nine0003
In order not to hear annoying mosquito squeaks, not to brush off obsessive, ubiquitous flies, and not to suffer from unpleasant bites, you can plant the following repellent plants on your site:
Marigolds
Essential oils contained in plants will repel insects, disinfect the soil, and rid the area of pests.
Swamp and peppermint
Essential oils of the plant repel insects in the garden. If mint is cut and dried, small decorative bouquets can be scattered around the room, which will also repel indoor insects. Mint essential oil can be applied to the skin before gardening in place of a repellent.
Geranium
Homemade geraniums can be planted in pots or planted outside during the summer. The essential oils contained in it will repel insects both from the premises and from the territory. nine0003
Calendula
It is not only a well-known antiseptic, but also a natural mosquito repellant.
Castor beans
Plant along the fence and near the pond. Its presence will not get rid of all insects, but will significantly reduce their population.
Lavender
Blooming lavender will decorate the garden, enchant with its unique aroma, repel insects from the site and from the room, if you place a beautiful planter with lavender on the windowsill.
nine0003
Lemongrass or lemongrass
Lemongrass has a pleasant lemon-ginger flavor and aroma. In our latitudes, it is grown as an annual plant, to be added to tea, first and second courses. Lemongrass essential oil is used in the manufacture of cosmetics. As a repellant, the herb will repel flies, mosquitoes, and even ticks.
Melissa
Melissa bushes can be planted both on the plot and in a pot. Pleasant unobtrusive aroma will repel insects. Freshly cut leaves are a nice addition to tea. nine0003
Tansy
The spicy-bitter aroma of grass will scare away blood-sucking insects from the beds, drive them out of the premises if you hang cut grass bunches in the corners.
Feverfew or Dalmatian chamomile
Blood-sucking insects and other pests simply do not appear in places where feverfew grows. This quality has allowed the plant to be used as the basis for many synthetic repellents.
Plant a feverfew on the site, and the fight against insects will end before it starts, mosquitoes, flies, bedbugs, ticks and even fleas will leave the site. nine0003
Wormwood
Will scare away not only blood-sucking insects, but also garden pests. Bundles of wormwood will help get rid of insects in the premises.
Please note that this plant has now moved from being a weed to a trendy plant cultivated in nature-style gardens.
Rosemary
A spicy herb that not only repels insects, but also reduces itching after mosquito bites. nine0003
Yarrow
Another trendy addition to today's gardens. The plant will help both in the fight against blood-sucking pests, and in the case. if the insects have already bitten. Apply the juice of the plant to the bite and the itching will stop.
Manchurian walnut
If space permits, plant a Manchurian walnut near the resting place.
