Mosquitoes are one of the most annoying types of insects; can itch wherever they bite you. One way you might think of to repel mosquitoes at home is to use mosquito repellent. But… it turns out that there is one other way that you can do to repel mosquitoes at home, namely by placing mosquito repellent plants around the house.
Here are 10 plants you can grow around your home that are not only beautiful, but can also help repel mosquitoes.
Mosquito Repellent Plants
1. Lemongrass
Most popular natural ingredients for repelling mosquitoes. In fact, a 2011 study in Malaria Journal, has shown that lemongrass has a strong aroma which is very disliked by mosquitoes. That is why, many mosquito repellent products use lemongrass as the main ingredient.
Even so, the strong aroma produced by lemongrass is so calming and pleasant that it can become a natural fragrance at home.
2. Lavender
Another plant that is known to be good for repelling mosquitoes at home is lavender. It may sound hard to believe because the scent of lavender is so pleasant and soothing to us, but it turns out that mosquitoes can’t stand the scent of this plant. As evidenced by one 2019 study in Malaria Journal showed that lavender was able to repel most insect species, including mosquitoes.
3. Marigolds
Although not as popular as the two previous mosquito repellent plants, the marigold plant is also believed to be effective at repelling mosquitoes in the home. This is because, marigolds contain several compounds, one of which is a pyrethrum compound, which can be toxic to mosquitoes and some insects.
As with other insect repellent plants, the strong aroma of marigold flowers is also not liked by mosquitoes and other insects. Plus, this plant produces beautiful and colorful flowers that can beautify your yard.
4. Rosemary
Besides being able to strengthen the taste when mixed into dishes, it also doubles up as an effective mosquito repellent, as proven in recent research in Journal of Physics Conference Series. Not without reason, rosemary leaves contain scents and oils that mosquitoes don’t like, so they can be very effective at repelling mosquitoes in your home.
5. Basil
No less than rosemary leaves, basil leaves have also been shown to be effective at repelling mosquitoes. Apart from having a strong aroma that mosquitoes don’t like, basil leaves also contain compounds that are toxic to mosquito larvae, which can reduce the mosquito population in your home.
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6. Mint Leaves
Mint is a plant that is also effective at repelling mosquitoes in the house. The reason is, mint leaves contain menthol, an active ingredient that is able to fight mosquitoes and insects, and has biocidal properties that help repel mites, mosquitoes, and various other pests.
Besides being able to repel mosquitoes, mint leaves also have many health benefits, such as relieving headaches, helping sleep better, to overcoming digestive disorders.
7. Catnip
Journal of Medical and Veterinary Entomology explains that mosquitoes hate catnip, making it perfect for a mosquito repellent plant. This is because, this plant contains a substance called nepetalactone, which can discourage mosquitoes and insects from approaching. That means, placing these plants around the house can reduce the number of mosquitoes in the house.
8. Geranium
Later, the name of the geranium plant has become known as one of the best mosquito repellent plants. How not, geranium has a scent like lemongrass and lemon, which makes mosquitoes reluctant to approach. In fact, the strong aroma produced by this plant is also not liked by other types of insects.
9. Lantana
Lantana flowers have been shown to be effective in repelling mosquitoes. A report in The Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, found that the Lantana flower extract can provide protection from Aedes & Aegypti mosquitoes up to 94 percent for approximately two hours. Plus, this flower also has a beautiful flower color so it can beautify your home at the same time.
10. Eucalyptus
It’s been a long time, Eucalyptus, especially Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus citriodora plant, is believed to be one of the best mosquito repellent plants. The strong aroma produced by this plant is able to repel mosquitoes, flies, and several other insects.
