What Plants Does Mosquito Hate Most?

During the fall months, spring, and summer, mosquitoes tend to permeate the yard and no matter the effort made to get rid of them, it seems and has proven hard to control this particular pest. However, mosquitoes hate some plants and this can help a great deal when it comes to the control of mosquitoes. Here are some of the plants that can be used for mosquito control;

Marigolds – This edible flower thrives in dry, warm climate and repels mosquitoes. This flower is an annual flower (bedding plant) whose blossom displays very bright colors all seasons. Marigolds displays red, orange, yellow, white, or gold blossoms but this depends on the plant.

Lantanas – Mosquitoes repel plants that display vibrant colors. This makes them repel the lantanas plant since its blossoms are very bright. However, mosquitoes also repel the odor emitted by the leaves of this flower when you bruise them. The lantanas flower is toxic unlike the marigold flower and does very well when planted in containers and makes a great hanging basket flower.

Chrysanthemums – Mosquito control is made possible with the help of this edible flower that is graced with a large variety of gold, purple, red, and white hues. The sun notifies the flower of the chrysanthemums plant when to blossom, because its inner clock is light sensitive. This is why the flower blossoms in autumn and during summer. Horsemint – This plant produces a strong odor just like the citronella plant thus repelling mosquitoes.

Ageratum – Mosquitoes cannot stand the smell produced by this plant that mainly secretes coumarin (a chemical compound that occurs naturally in a number of plants). Coumarin can also be produced synthetically and is a component found in many OTC mosquito repellents which are used for mosquito control.

Mosquito Plant – The scented geranium which is well-known as the “mosquito plant” is a member of pelargonium family. The origin of this plant is South Africa and unlike most geraniums, it is known for its citron scent that repels mosquitoes. The plant works best as a repellent against mosquitoes when you crush its leaves and apply them on the skin.

Lemon Balm – This plant has a strong citrus, pleasant smell that keeps the mosquitoes at bay. This plant contains a very high amount of the citronella oil that the mosquitoes hate. Most variety of the lemon balm can grow under the sun or partial shade. However, Quedlinburger Niederliegende variety has very high levels of citronella.

Catnip – This plant contains Nepetalactone oil that is hated by mosquitoes but loved by cats. Catnip is a member of mint family and is a perennial herb. However, a study was conducted and it was found that catnip is ten times more effective than commercial repellents ingredient well-known as diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET).

Citronella Grass – This coarse grass mainly grows in clumps, and can even reach five feet in height. this plant is formally known as Cymbopogon nardus, nard grass, mana grass, or nardus. Citronella grass is a member of Graminea or Poaceae family and does quite well in warm climates. It hardly survives a cold winter season and should be replanted during spring. This popular plant is in most cases used for mosquito control. The leaves of this plant contain oil that is extracted when crushed. Citronella has a very strong smell, which makes it hard for mosquitoes to breath. You can thus break a few leaves and scatter them in the yard for mosquito control.

Note: While planting this plant, you need not provide light for its seeds.