Plants to Get Rid of Mosquitoes Naturally

September 14, 2021

There are so many advantages to filling your home and garden with pretty, colorful plants. They make your house more attractive, can improve indoor air quality, and are even believed to help relieve stress and reduce anxiety. But did you know that certain flora and fauna can also be used as natural insect repellants? If you’re looking for an effective way to avoid having to douse yourself in chemical-filled mosquito spray, here are some plants that repel bugs.

A smiling woman trimming the ends of a tall plant.

Citronella Grass

Also known as lemon grass, citronella grass is frequently used as an ingredient in natural mosquito repellants. The plant features a lovely lemon scent and is relatively easy to care for, requiring daily watering and filtered sunlight.

Marigolds

This annual flower is easy to grow in planters and pots. It makes for great patio and front porch décor, beautifying the entrance of your home while also helping to keep bugs at bay. In addition to repelling mosquitos, marigolds are effective at driving away squash bugs, beetles, and whiteflies.

Mint

Thanks to their strong aroma, mint plants make great nontoxic repellants for mosquitoes, flies, and ants. Along with potting and growing mint in the garden, you can use the plant as a safe, all-natural indoor pest control solution by drying and crushing its leaves and scattering them around your home.

Lavender

While humans love the soothing scent of lavender, insects do not. It’s one of the most effect mosquito repellent plants and is even believed to negatively affect a mosquito’s sense of smell. Once growing, lavender plants are quite easy to care for because they are drought-resistant, making them an ideal addition for the garden.

A pair of hands holding the top of a lavender plant, which sits next to more potted lavender.

Rosemary

This herb has a warm, woody scent that’s highly effective at repelling mosquitoes, cabbage moths, and carrot flies. In addition to being a great garden plant, rosemary thrives in containers and pots and can be used to season your cooking.

Basil

Another excellent pest-fighting herb is basil, which has a pungent aroma that keeps flies and mosquitoes at bay. It can be grown in gardens or containers, alone or with flowers. As long as it’s kept damp and gets plenty of sunlight, basil plants should thrive.

Sage

Sage has been used as a natural insect repellent for years. It’s especially helpful for driving away mosquitoes and flies at night. The plant can also be dried, crushed, and mixed with apple cider vinegar to make a homemade mosquito spray.

Floss Flower

An attractive annual flower, floss flower contains a natural mosquito repellant called coumarin. The flower makes a container plant, however you should use with caution when keeping them indoors. Coumarin is toxic is ingested by pets or humans.

Close up of pink and purple flowers.

Allium

Allium bulbs emit a strong scent that sends mosquitoes packing. There are hundreds of species of the plant, including common kitchen ingredients such as garlic, onion, shallot, scallion, leek, and chives.

Scented Geraniums

This type of flowering plant has a lemon fragrance similar to citronella grass. It’s known for keeping away a number of pesky pests, including mosquitoes, ants, flies, fleas, and other biting insects.