We all know the frustration of drifting off to sleep only to be rudely awoken by the whine of a mosquito in your ear. These pesky insects take shine off of warm summer nights with their incessant buzzing and unbearably itchy bites; when this happens our natural action is to reach for a mosquito repellent cream or spray which is understandable.
Unfortunately these chemical based repellents have a number of downsides; the most tame being the fact that this must be reapplied often for it to maintain its potency throughout the night. Chemical insecticides can come in many forms with their own list of negatives.
Spray and smoke based insect repellents can irritate the eyes and affect people with persistent breathing problems. Insecticide creams can also sting the eyes and cause skin irritation from allergic reactions to the various chemicals. The main reason why prolonged use of chemical insecticides is a chemical called N,N-diethyl-m- toluamide or DEET. This chemical absorbs quickly into the skin and with prolonged use cause an itchy, red skin irritation; which almost makes you miss mosquito bites.
Keeping your skin safe from mosquitoes is important; not just because of the frustrating noise and rage inducing itchiness but due to the fact that mosquitoes can carry deadly diseases such as malaria and dengue. Luckily nature has a number of solutions for a chemical and mosquito free night’s sleep.
34 Plants That Repel Mosquitoes At Bay The Natural Way
Many plants from weeds to herbs and flowers have a natural built in resistance to mosquitoes commonly due to their potent scents. These plants can be used in a myriad of different way, which I will lay out for you, to help you keep mosquitoes away from your home the natural way. Many of these techniques can double as aroma therapy or as a room decoration that’s serves dual purposes.
So if you prefer to go the natural route or are just looking for a healthier alternative to chemical repellents then here are:
1. Basil
Basil is a delicious and highly aromatic edible herb commonly found in most vegetable gardens. The leaves are used to make essential oils that can be used as a natural insecticidal spray but the plant being planted near your home can deter mosquitoes all on its own. The scent is also highly toxic to mosquito larvae so you can plant it next to bodies of standing water such as swimming pools and water features to prevent them from laying eggs inside them.
2. Bee Balm
Bee balm is more than just a pretty flower to adorn your garden with. This beautiful plant attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees for a garden that comes straight out of Cinderella. The birds that bee balm attracts also feed on insects like mosquitoes so they get a delicious snack and you stay bite free! These delicately petalled flowers come in red, pink, white and purple. When its leaves are crushed to release their oils the scent will repel mosquitoes. The leaves can then be distributed around your garden or home for a lasting protective barrier around your house.
3. Cadaga Tree
The cadaga tree is a medium sized tree with long slender leaves that is a member of the eucalyptus family. This gorgeous tree can act as a barrier from those buzzing pests merely by being planted in your garden, due to its natural scent. Planting these trees on the perimeter on your garden will help keep your whole property mosquito free while looking beautiful at the same time.
4. Calendula
The calendula flower is a beautiful daisy like orange flower whose petals and leaves have mosquito repellent properties. The most effective way to use calendula is to brew a tea, not the kind you drink, from its leaves and flowers. The flowers and leaves can be picked, left out in the sun to dry and then infused in water. The resultant brew can then be placed in a spray bottle and used as a natural insecticide.
5. Catnip
Catnip is potent mosquito repellent plant that is really easy to grow that is very heat tolerant. It contains a chemical compound similar to citronella; which causes it to actively repel mosquitoes just by being planted. The oils extracted from the leaves can be used diluted as a spray for around the home. Alternatively the leaves can be dried and made into catnip sachets that you can place around the house to help keep the pests away. One problem is the reason for its name; cats love catnip! So if you are planning on growing fresh catnip make sure to plant this under wire domes so your cat, or even neighbors’ cats don’t flatten it when they roll around in it. Luckily they also really enjoy the dried version so you’ll have a mosquito free house and a very happy cat.
6. Cinnamon Basil
Cinnamon basil is another member of basil family with strong mosquito repelling powers. The leaves contain the chemical cinnamate; which is also responsible for giving cinnamon its flavour and it is this potent scent that the mosquitoes find so distasteful. This herb can be planted in your vegetable patch to deter a number of plant eating insects. To keep mosquitoes away from your home you can strategically plant cinnamon basil near or in the home or the leaves can be picked, dried and placed at regular intervals around the house in sachets or as potpourri.
7. Citronella
Citronella is a plant whose leaf is very fragrant, when a frond is broken off and rubbed on the skin the natural oils will keep you safe from mosquito bites. The essential oil can be diluted and used as a natural insecticide spray in your home. Citronella is commonly found in the form of specialized mosquito repellent candles but now you can grow the real thing!
8. Cloves
The beautiful scent that makes cloves repellent to mosquitoes is the same sweet and spicy scent that makes this this a delicious spice for cooking with in its dried form. It can also be used dried as a natural painkiller for toothache by wedging the whole dried clove in between the effected teeth. These fragrant evergreen bushes can be planted strategically around your garden to repel mosquitoes or it can be used as an oil; both are just as effective. The oils can be burned as aromatherapy that doubles as a mosquito deterrent or used diluted in a spray.
9. Eucaplytus
This tapered leafed tree is not only a favorite of koalas but it is also the source of very fragrant natural oils that act as a natural insecticide. The oils can be bought from any pharmacy or health food store and burned or sprayed around the house. Alternatively the leaves themselves can be crushed to release fragrant scented oil; which can be directly applied to mosquito bites to act as a natural antibacterial agent.
10. Fever Few
These cute little daisy-like flowers have a hidden mosquito resistant superpower. The flowers themselves give off a strong scent that you can smell on the air. Planting these pretty flowers throughout your garden can be both aesthetically pleasing and repel mosquitoes at the same time. But that’s not all, fever few is medically proven herbal preventative and cure for migraines because it contains the natural chemical parthenolide. The dried leaves can be drunk as a tea to cure a number of ailments including nausea, arthritis and even tinnitus.
More Plants That Repel Mosquitoes On The Next Page…
11. Floss Flower
These delicate purple or blue flowers contain a chemical called coumarin; which is a potent mosquito repellent with a strong aroma. The floss flower is self sewing which makes it a really low maintenance bed or container plant that looks beautiful while helping you avoid mosquito bites. However, this plant is very toxic to both humans and animals if ingested so be sure to keep it away from animals or small children.
12. Garlic
That’s right, your garlic breathe even has the power to repel insects! Rubbing a peeled clove of garlic on the skin will repel mosquito in a pinch but there are other options that won’t leave you reeking of raw garlic. Garlic oil diluted with water can be used as an insect repellent spray for your garden and, when mixed with other strongly scented essential oils and water, can even be used as a body spray. This is the unexpected added benefit of a bulb that already has powerful antibiotic properties and can be used in a wide range of meals across a variety of cuisines for an unmistakable fragrant taste and aroma.
13. Geraniums
This bright flower is a triple threat; its beautiful, fragrant and mosquito repelling! The bush’s strong aroma is repellent to many varieties of insects, including mosquitoes. This bush grows very fast, so soon your garden or window box will be filled with sweetly scented bright flowers and as well as being completely mosquito free. Geranium is a popular essential oil used in aromatherapy and scented candles to promote a feeling of calm.
14. Lavender
Lavender is a magical plant; its beautiful, it smells incredible, you can cook with it and it has a very calming scent. However, it does not have such a calming effect on mosquitoes. The scent of lavender impedes the mosquitoes’ sense of smell, which it relies on to find hosts because mosquitoes find humans by smelling the carbon dioxide we exhale. This can be strategically planted in garden beds or window boxes to keep the mosquitoes at bay. Alternatively you can use it dried in sachets around the house or as an oil in a room spray for a calm and mosquito free environment. Lavender is also a delicious floral ingredient that can be used in desserts for a distinctly floral flavour.
15. Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a member of the mint family, see point 8, which shares it’s counterparts power to deter mosquitoes. The fresh leaves can be picked and rubbed directly on the skin to release the oils, which acts as an ideal chemical free alternative to mosquito repellent cream and leaves you smelling fresh and delicious. This herb can also be used dried or in oil form for use around the house.
16. Lemon Thyme
Lemon thyme is an edible herb that can repel mosquitoes only when the oils are released, it’s not enough to just plant it nearby but growing it in the garden for easy access as well as a fresh cooking ingredient. By crushing the leaves and rubbing them directly onto your skin you release the oils and create a layer of protection between you and the flying beasts. Lemon thyme oil is also a great addition to natural insecticide sprays for a chemical free bug spray.
17. Marigolds
Marigolds are beautiful ombre ruffled orange or yellow flowers that bloom abundantly in the summer and can even survive frosts. Mosquitoes, as well as many other insects, hate their strong scent, which makes these the perfect flower to plant on the outskirts of your garden to protect your garden from pests and your keep your home mosquito free. An added bonus of these gorgeous flowers is that they can be picked dried and brewed into a tea that has been proven to be a treatment for sore throats, gingivitis, tonsillitis and mouth ulcers.
18. Mint
Mint is an aromatic herb that can be used dried or fresh to ward off mosquitoes. It is most potent in its oil form; which is safe to apply directly onto the skin. The dried leaves are a fragrant addition to potpourri or in sachets in your home that can double as a natural insect repellent. Mint is great to have on hand for both sweet and savoury cooking as well as a flavourant for cocktails and ice tea in the summer.
19. Nodding Onion
Nodding onions are a variety of wild onion with distinctive nodding purple flowers. It has very similar properties to garlic; which, as we have seen previously, is an effective mosquito repellent due to their strong scent. These bulbs can be pressed into a juice or oil, both of which can be applied directly to the skin to keep you safe from getting bitten. These flowers are tiny and delicate so they make a beautiful decorations for your garden while repelling mosquitoes simultaneously.
20. Oregano
One of Italian cuisine’s staple herbs, oregano is not only fragrant and delicious but has some healing super powers. These little leaves contain the chemicals thymol and carvacol, which are also found in thyme. These chemicals are responsible for its antiseptic and insect repellent properties. It can be used both dried, fresh and in oil form. Oregano is a herb garden staple that can be used to season and vegetable or meat under the sun for a distinct fragrant flavour.
More Plants That Repel Mosquitoes On The Next Page…
21. Penny Royal
Penny Royal is a bush with beautiful round purple blooms with a highly potent scent; which is why it is a very effective insect repellent. Fresh cuttings can be cut and placed around the home as a decoration that doubles as a very strong mosquito repellent. Penny royal is ideal for planting at the end of your vegetable garden to protect your crop from pests. The downside to this plant is that it is highly toxic and should not be ingested by people or animals.
22. Peppermint
Peppermint is yet another variety of mint that is an excellent mosquito repellent. This form of mint is identified by its more elongated leaves and grows rapidly. Its natural aroma as it grows repels mosquitoes so it is ideal for planting at the perimeter of you garden or in a window box. The leaves can also be pressed an used as an oil.
23. Pineapple Weed
Pineapple weed is a species of wild chamomile that you might consider saving the next time you weed your garden. The fronds and round yellow buds can be dried and rubbed onto clothing to keep mosquitoes away from you precious skin. Fresh pineapple weed can even be plucked fresh from the plant and rubbed on your skin. Alternatively dried bunches can be hung around the house in the areas that are the most likely to attract insects.
24. Pitcher Plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants that feed on insects, including mosquitoes. The vase like blooms have a sweet smelling liquid at the bottom; which lures in the mosquitoes inside and then digests them. These delicate plants make a beautiful decoration for an outdoor seating area that allows you to relax in peace.
25. Pyrethrum
These white daisy like flowers may appear innocent but they are hiding behind their beautiful facade. They are in fact a highly toxic plant that is harvested almost exclusively for their insect repelling properties. Pyrethrum can be found as a natural ingredient in organic insecticides.
26. Rosemary
Rosemary is a fragrant edible herb with beautiful purple blooms. This evergreen bush wards off mosquitoes naturally with its a strong aroma. Planting this around your garden will provide you with delicious fresh herbs that pair well with lamb and keep the mosquitoes away while you eat it. The woody leaves can be pressed into an oil and used for aromatherapy.
27. Snowbrush
Snowbush is fluffy white weed that flowers in the summer time. The blooms produce a sticky resin that has a sweet balsam aroma that mosquitoes find repulsive. It is very easily propagated, as most weeds are, so they are a great addition to your border shrubbery to keep the buzzing insects off your property.
28. Sweet Fern
Sweet ferns are a small bushy shrub with a sweet fragrance that acts as a natural mosquito repellent. The most effective way to release the plants repellent properties is as a smudge stick. You can make your own smudge stick at home by drying out fronds of sweet fern, tying them together in a bundle and lighting it until it releases a fragrant smoke. Walk the smoke through your home to create a lingering aroma that will keep mosquitoes away for hours.
29. Tansy
Tansy is a beautiful plant with bright yellow round blooms that is incredibly easy to grow. The most effective way to use this plant is to dry the leaves and infuse it into water for a potent insect repellent spray. If you have animals be wary of this plant growing in your garden or in your fields as it can be toxic when consumed in large quantities.
30. Tea Tree
Tea tree is a plant often found in skin care for its efficacy at healing blemishes, it is this property that makes tea tree oil an effective treatment for mosquito bites. The treatment can be applied as an oil or freshly plucked from the bush and rubbed onto the skin Its distinctive scent is too strong for many insects to approach so planting this in your garden could prevent the mosquitos from getting near you entirely. The leaf itself is very toxic so keep it out of reach of children and animals.
31. Thyme
This delicious herb may pair well with chicken but you know what it doesn’t go well with? You guessed it, mosquitoes. Thyme is great to have growing in your garden not only for cooking and its beautiful purple flowers but also for the fact that merely planting this in your herb box is enough to repel the mosquitoes. The bright aroma released by this plant is fragrant to humans but toxic to many insects. Besides its fresh form thyme can be used as cutting, dried in sachets or as an oil for a to take advantage of its potent mosquito repellent qualities.
32. Vanilla
Although vanilla may be mouth-watering scent for us, like many herbs, mosquitoes are not a fan. The leaves have been used as a natural mosquito repellent by indigenous tribes for hundreds of years; which speaks to its efficacy. The fresh leaves can be rubbed directly onto the skin to keep the buzzing pests at bay, however vanilla plants only grow in tropical climates so if you don’t have live in these humid areas you can use a dried alternative. The dried leaves can be bundled together and used as a smudge stick in the same way as sweet fern.
33. Wormwood
Wormwood is not just a potion ingredient from Harry Potter, unless those potions purpose was to repel mosquitoes! The bush’s large sprayed leaves produce resinous particles that give off a pungent aroma that keeps mosquitos far away. This bush grows really easily so its ideal to have in your garden for its scent and easy access to the magical leaves. The fresh leaves can be crushed and distributed around the home or outdoor areas to use its properties to its best advantage.
34. Lemon Geranium
This lemon scented geranium is an even more potent version of the other species due to the fact that it contains the chemical citronellax. This is the same chemical found in citronella, which, as we mentioned in point 7, is a very effective mosquito repellent. It can be used in all the same ways as the geranium mentioned previous in point 13.
Conclusion
As usual nature has swooped in to save the day once more and keep those pesky mosquitoes away in a 100% natural way. Most of these plants come with other uses too from making your garden look more lush, to aromatherapy and vibrant to delicious cooking ingredients. They can even be planted near your vegetable garden to protect them from a wide variety of pests.
You can choose how you wish to use these highly adaptable plants to suit you. Fresh cuttings, dried, aromatherapy oils, smudge sticks or just growing the plants themselves; you have a wide variety of choices for how to makes these plants work for you and keep your home mosquito free.
So before next summer rolls around why try into incorporating some of these magical plants that repel mosquitoes to your garden so you can leave the chemicals locked in your bathroom cabinet!