Mosquito Repellent Plants

Though small, mosquitoes are very annoying creatures. A mosquito can make you run helter skelter for cover! There are better ways of getting rid of those little creatures than toxic chemicals or futile clapping! And even after a million guesses you wouldn't get it right, but an easy and environment friendly way of getting rid of mosquitoes is with the help of plants. Plants have innumerable uses and all of us are well versed with them, but there is one use of plants which very few of us know, which is, some plants have the property of being mosquito repellents. Here is some information on such mosquito repellent plants.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

Citronella Plant: Citronella is considered as one of the best mosquito repellent plants. In fact, it is so famous for deterring mosquitoes, that it is known as the mosquito plant! Pelargonium species is the botanical name for the citronella plant. It grows to a height of two feet, and blooms annually. The flowers of citronella plant are lavender in color. It requires warm weather to grow, so you need to protect it from frost. Plant it after the frost season, and bring the citronella plant indoors during the frost season. Citronella plant is also used to make oil, which is used in perfumes and other herbal products. But you may want to reconsider planting Citronella in your garden if you have a feline pet, as Citronella oil also repels cats!

Rosemary: Next on the mosquito repelling plants list is rosemary. Rosemary is a shrub, but larger than the usual shrubs. It grows four to five feet tall, and has blue flowers. Rosemary grows fast and is known to be a drought tolerant shrub. This shrub is also used in some fish recipes.

Marigolds: You might already have marigolds in your garden, but did you know that it is a mosquito repellent plant? Marigold owes its mosquito repellent property to its peculiar smell! There are two types of marigolds - the African and the French. Both of them are mosquito repellent plants. Marigold plants grow 6 inches to 3 feet tall. They have to be grown in sunny areas, as marigold growth is slowed down if it is planted in the shade.

Lemon Grass: The green color of lemon grass will not only make your patio look bright and full of life, but will also ward off mosquitoes. Lemon grass is a natural mosquito repellent plant as it contains citronella oil which is a mosquito repellent. Lemon grass is found mainly in India. It is a perennial plant which grows up to two feet tall and requires a warm climate. Not only is the plant useful, even lemon grass oil is useful. Lemon grass oil is used as a pesticide and a preservative. You can also use lemon grass in your tea, as it is very refreshing.

Lavender: Besides being a mosquito repellent, the beautiful purple color of the lavender plant can help increase the beauty of the backyard or garden as well. Growing lavender plants is quite easy, so this makes it a gardener's favorite too! Lavender grows up to four feet tall and requires a sunny climate. Lavender plant care is easy, as it requires bare minimum attention. Lavender flowers are also used in bouquets. Lavender essential oil is an extract of the lavender plant.

Catnip: Nepeta cataria, the botanical name for the catnip plant, contains nepetalactone, which has recently been declared an insect repellent. Catnip belongs to the mint family and grows about three feet tall when planted in a sunny area or an area of partial shade. Catnip is a perennial plant which has white or lavender blooms. The most unique feature of catnip, apart from being a mosquito repellent plant, is that cats love catnip! They love to smell catnip, roll in catnip, and even take a nap in catnip! In fact, cats are so crazy for catnip plants, that you will need to put a fence around the plant to protect it! Catnip oil, got from the catnip plant, is used in he preparation of mosquito repellents.

Horse Mint: Horse mint is another of the plants that repel mosquitoes. Horse mint does not require special care. It grows well if kept in the sun. Horse mint is a perennial plant which has pink blooms. Butterflies have an affinity for horse mint, which is why we find horse mint in many nurseries as well.

Garlic: Garlic is a herb which is well known for its culinary uses. But very few people know that garlic is a mosquito repellent plant as well. The reason why garlic repels mosquitoes is unknown, however, some say it is the strong smell of the herb that wards off the mosquitoes. The bulbs of garlic are mainly used as mosquito repellents.

These were some of the mosquito repellent plants. There are others, such as basil, penny royal, and ageratum, which are also well known as mosquito repellent plants. So, if you thought that getting rid of mosquitoes was a costly and smelly affair, this article should have definitely made you think twice! Growing these plants in your backyard or garden will give you a double benefit - freedom from mosquitoes and a beautiful, colorful garden!