Plants that Repel Insects
While in Paris we noticed and were told the French do not use screens on their windows. Everyone had geraniums planted in window pots in the their windows to repel bugs.
PLANTS THAT REPEL INSECTS: ORNAMENTAL FLOWERS
You can add color and beauty around your patio, porch, gazebo or any other outdoor relaxation spot by planting these common ornamental plants in your flower beds. These plants can help repel mosquitoes around your favorite outdoor living spaces.
Chrysanthemums, or mums for short:
They grow up to 5 feet tall and bloom from summer through late fall in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 9. Along with mosquitoes, mums repel other outdoor insect pests, such as:
- Ants
- Silver fish
- Ticks
- Fleas
- Spider mites
You can use them in flower beds or near your vegetable garden to repel insects that nibble at your fresh veggies.
Marigolds
Not everyone likes the scent of marigolds, and mosquitoes don’t either. They grow up to 3 feet tall and bloom from summer through frost, and help repel mosquitoes as well as:
- Aphids
- Root-knot nematodes
- Rabbits
HERBS THAT REPEL MOSQUITOES
Many herbs have dual purposes. You can use them to spice up your meals, treat ailments and even as a way to keep mosquitoes away. Let’s look at the best natural mosquito repellents among these plants.
Herbs the Repel Insects 🐞 🐜 🕷
- Rosemary
- Lavenders
- Mint
- Basil
Citronella plants
There are two other plants that also go by the common name citronella which belong to the lemongrass family.
These perennial clumping grasses Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon winterianus grow to an astonishing size of 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide (2 m). The base stems are magenta-colored while the leaves are long and pointy.
Citronella Mosquito Plant
Marketed as a “mosquito plant” in the United States and Canada, this particular species has a distinctive appearance due to its medium green, lacy leaves. It is a member of the geranium family, Pelargonium citrosum (citrosa), producing attractive, pleasant smelling blooms in the summer that are pinkish white.
Citronella geranium (citrosa) is claimed to repel mosquitoes within a 10-foot radius due to a continuous fragrant release of oil.
