Cinammon basil, cloves, lemon balm, rosemary, lavender, bee balm, peppermint, marigold, snowbrush, thyme, pithcer plant, cadaga tree, lemon grass and wild chamomile are the best flies and mosquito repellent plants.
We all enjoy sitting at our backyard, taking in the soothing breeze while gazing up at the night sky and at the same time enjoying talking and laughing with our beloved ones. But wait, this scenario is not yet complete as one thing is missing – the buzzing and biting of mosquitoes.
If you are a nature lover, and have your hobby as nurturing plants then here are some must – have plants that repel mosquitoes and flies.
31 Must Know Flies and Mosquito Repellent Plants
Cinnamon Basil
Regular basils are themselves excellent in repelling of mosquitoes but cinnamon basil contains the chemical, cinnamate. This plant repels many insects, enhances flavor of nearby fruits, can be used as a vegetable patch and also helps keep the bugs away from your lovely roses. You can add this plant to go along with several of your beverages too.
The added benefit is that this plant every year can reseed itself if allowed and in warmer growing climates. You can also grow it indoors while maintaining a temperature of above 400
Cloves
These are native to Asia which thrives in humid environment and can however not survive if temperature drops to below freezing. Cloves require 3 – 4 years of consistent soil moisture for good root establishment and reach its full harvesting capacity upto 15 years. You can grow cloves in large pots and then move them indoors when the weather starts getting cold.
You can also use the dried clove buds or clove oils to help inn repelling mosquitoes. It is the scent of the clove that repels a variety of insects.
Lemon balm
Lemon balm is popular for its various health benefits and its lemon scent aids in repelling mosquitoes. You can use fresh, dried or pressed for oil lemon balm that repels mosquitoes.
The use of lemon balm dates long back in the Western world as a stress – reeducer, digestive aid, mild astringgent, natural sleep aider, and most importantly insect repellant. Few people also include this plant leaves in their teas too.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a shrub which grows to heights of 3 – 4 feet and width of 5 feet, so it requires a lot of space. It also is a sun lover. The plant can survive through winter, you will however have to shift it indoors if the winters get too harsh or freezing. The scent of rosemary helps to keep the insects away and it is also used for cooking.
Lavender
The lavender plant when grown is not just a beauty to the eye but also can be easily dried and placed in drawers, cupboards to keep all the pests away. The added benefit is that it gives a great fragrance to your clothes. You can easily grow lavenders, although they require ample amount of space but within 3 years they can produce 1000 or more flowers to harvest.
Bee balm
They are also called Wild Bergamont and can easily be grown on almost every soil variety. They bloom during late summers and nnot just repel mosquitoes but also attract bees, butterflies and humming birds to your lovely garden. This plant also has medicinal benefits and both of its leaves and flowers can be used for preparing tea.
Marigold
The sunny yellow and bright orange flowers are a sight to behold for the eye in your garden and also get rid of mosquitoes and many other pests. These can be used to create a natural insecticide barrier when planted along with your fruits and vegetables.
Peppermint
Peppermint plant is a rapid grower and can easily multiply via it’s self – pollinating runners. The fragrance of this plant helps to keep the mosquitoes away. They are also used for preparing teas and in cooking. Peppermint plant has been in use as a digestive aid for years.
Feverfew
Feverfew are little daisy – like flowers which give a cheerful vibe to your garden. Being smal they don’t take much of your garden space either. Due to its fragrance and presence of pyrethrum oils, they are an excellent aid for repelling mosquitoes. It has also been in use as a medicinal herb for relieving migraines.
Flossflower
These are bright blue or purple shades and also can be grown in pinks, reds, whites too. Due to its strong fragrance they repel mosquitoes and biting flies.
Snowbrush
This plant grows best in sunny locations to add beautiful white clusters of flowers to your garden during spring through late summer. It gives off a sticky, sweet balsam aroma that repels many biting insects.
Thyme
Thyme contains a toxic aroma to several insects and thus is a natural insecticide. This plant also acts protective against roses and other blooming plants that attract bugs. Growing thyme from sleed is a tedious task, so it is perhaps better to purchase a plant for your garden and nurture it.
Pitcher plant
This plants are a colourful, beautiful and deadly addition to your garden. These plants send a sweet smell that lures the insects to them and they trap them, thus killiing them. These are self – fertilixing plants and it is the artificial fertilization that often kills off the mature plant.
Cadaga tree
The cadaga tree has to be grown in contained environment as it can reach upto 40 feet in height. The oils obtained from this plant iss highly effective against biting insects and when grown helps to stir the area clear of mosquitoes.
Incense Cedar
Incense Cedar tree is popular for its shade and windbreaks and also for privacy screening. It provides extra protection against biting insects as well as wood boring insects.
Lemongrass
It can be grown indoors and can be sued for preparing teas. It can be easily grrown by removing new stalks and putting them in water until new roots are formed. The oils of the plant are a natural insect repellant. You can also use lemongrass for flavoring rices, stir – fries, smoothies and soups too.
Wild chamomile
It is also known as pineapple weed and has been in use for several years as a preservative, medicinal and as a repellent. You can crush the pineapple weed and rub them on your clothing or hang on areas that draw insects to repel them.
Sweet fern
It is a small shrub very popular inn commercial nursery sales. It can be dried and bundled into a tight ‘smudge – like stick’ that can be burned to help repel mosquitoes.
Vanilla leaf
Vanilla leaf plant has not been quite successfully cultivated in gardens but these plants are found inn abundance and harvested spring through fall. This plant when dried in a dehydrator will fill the house with the heady scent of vanilla and repel the insects.
Mint
This plant can grow quite easily and is used to strengthen mind, helps to boost concentration, as a spice for the meal. When the mint essential oil in mixed with apple cider vinegar and cheap vodka to create a homemade repellant for mosquitoes. Also placing mint pots around your garden will keep mosquitoes away.
Bay leaves
Bay leaves are rich in healing properties and has a very strong aroma. This plant is a geat fly repellant. You can also add bay leaves as a spice to your soups and dishes.
Nepeta
It is also known as catmints and attracts cats like flies on honey. It however does an excellent job at repelling mosquitoes. The plant contains nepetalactone which are beleived to be upto ten times stronger than the commercial repellants.
Mugwort
Mugwort is also known as yomogi in Japanese and is a fragrant plant. It is quite beautiful with its silver – green leaves. It has a pleasant flavour and a strong bitter taste. Due to its distinctive aroma it aids in repelling mosquitoes, moths and also other pests like mice.
Ageratums
It is a seasonal flower which is quite easy to grow. Due to its fragrance it is effective in repelling mosquitoes. It is however not recommended to rub your skin with its leaves as it may cause unwanted and unpleasant allergies.
Oreganos
Oreganos are a universal spice and belong to a family of natural insect repellants. This plant is quite effective against mosquitoes, cabbage butterflies and cucumber beetles, thus you can plant oreganos near your garlics and onions.
Lemon verbana
Lemon verbana provides you with a rich, pleasant lemony aroma. It is this lemony aroma that aids in repelling mosquitoes. You will however have to keep this plant in a container and bring it indoors before the first frost.
Penny royal
This plant can be used as a beautiful decorant to help repel mosquitoes, ants, fleas, gnats, etc. You should however be careful with this plant and avoid its ingestion. It is also an excellent insect deterrant and shoos off several types of beetles away from your crops.
Worm wood
It is quite commonly known as absinthe and is used for its medicinal benefits. Worm wood is quite easy to grow and since it contains resinous particles they are used as a natural insecticide. It is recommended to consult the doctor if you wish to use this plant for anything other than external applications.
Lemon scented geranium
These are the plants which you can use for decorative purposes on your porch and gardens. This plant was believed to be effective in repelling mosquitoes but after research by scientists it was found that this plant had to be crushed and rubbed on the skin and then it aids in repelling mosquitoes.
Eucalyptus
It can grow upto 130 feet in height and because of this there are variety if species available for growing in pots. Eucalyptus oil was officially US registered as an insecticide and miticide in 1948.
Tea tree
Tea tree plants are easy to grow but the only disadvantage is that requires lots of water and should not be allowed to dry greenout. You can harvest some amount of needles from the plant and soak them either in water or carrier oil to produce an insecticidal spray.
Conclusion
There’s nothing pleasant about mosquitoes and flies, they not just annoy us to no end but also are vectors of certain life – threatening diseases too. You can solve this problem by cultivating few of the mosquitoes and flies repellant plants either in your garden or indoors – Thyme, Marigold, Cinnamon basil, cloves, Snowbrush, Peppermint, Floss Flower, Mint, Incense cedar, Lemon balm, Bee balmm, rosemary, lavendar, Lemon scented geraniums, Vanilla leaf, lemon grass, tea tree, eucalyptus, nepeta, bay leaves, mugwort, penny royal, worm wood, oreganos, etc.
References
https://www.backyardboss.net/35-plants-that-repel-mosquitoes/
