Keep everyone happy and free from mosquitoes all summer with the help of plants located in areas around the yard and patio.
14 Plants That Repel Mosquitoes
Updated on Sep. 04, 2024
Relaxing outside is one of the many pleasures of the summer season, but we don’t want quality patio or porch time interrupted by flying insects buzzing around or landing in a cool drink. Is there a way for everyone to enjoy the outdoor time without mosquitoes?
The answer is in the plants you have in your outdoor space planted in containers or tucked into the landscape in your yard. Many plants contain natural repellents for buzzing visitors to keep them away from your food and guests as you enjoy the outdoor season.
Creating Mosquito-Free Outdoor Areas
Plants with natural oils and scents that repel mosquitoes will help create pleasant outdoor spaces around the home, but you must also be vigilant about cleaning out water sources that attract mosquitoes.
“The most important piece for your deck and outdoor living areas is to make sure that your plant saucers are not holding water,” says Barbara Pierson, Plant and Nursery Manager of White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut. “Check every nook to see if you have water sitting anywhere. I find as the summer goes on and I am watering more often I can forget to check for standing water and to empty my watering can.”
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Citronella
The Citronella Geranium is called “the mosquito plant.” This variety gives off a scent mosquitoes don’t like and will help in the battle for control of the outdoor entertaining spaces around your home. The plants are effective in repelling mosquitoes in small areas.
Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) has a distinctive citrus scent that mosquitoes will avoid. Citronella products like candles and votives are available at home goods stores and garden centers. Citronella plants, which are a type of scented geranium, can be grown in your garden or as a container plant.
Gary Pilarchik, plant expert and author of Growing an Edible Landscape, says plants like citronella can be part of your outdoor plan for keeping spaces bug-free. “Citronella and members of the mint families are plants that can be helpful in ridding your area of mosquitoes.”
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Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus branches placed in a vase or hung from the shower head make the bathroom feel like a relaxing spa, but mosquitoes do not like the clean scent of eucalyptus outside in the yard. The essential oils of eucalyptus that we enjoy as a pleasing scent in the air make mosquitoes fly elsewhere. Many all-natural commercial bug repellents contain this ingredient. Eucalyptus plants need time to get established and want to be in fertile, well-drained soil with plenty of sunlight. The eucalyptus plant interferes with the sense of smell of a mosquito, which will deter them from being around your yard and garden space.
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Lavender
Lavender (Lavandula) is known for being a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant for the garden landscape. Home gardeners rely on this hearty grower. The plant produces an oil that is an effective natural mosquito repellent, so the purple blooms will attract pollinators while sending mosquitoes elsewhere. Gardeners grow lavender for the appealing scent, and the added bonus is that it will keep mosquitoes from spending time in the yard by overwhelming the sense of smell of the insect.
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Peppermint
Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) is a hearty grower that thrives in the summer heat. However, mosquitoes don’t want to be around it, which makes it a helpful plant for controlling bugs near outdoor spaces. This plant spreads rapidly, so just one peppermint plant can provide enough mosquito control for the season.
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Mojito Mint
Another member of the mint family with similar traits of repelling mosquitoes is mojito. This perennial herb has oval green leaves that are harvested from late spring to early fall, and you can try it in delicious dishes and drinks as a bonus. So, put a few leaves in a cool mint mojito and chase the bugs away as you enjoy a cocktail on a warm evening.
“Mojito is my favorite mint,” says Pierson. “It has a true mint flavor with a pungent scent that also helps keep the mosquitoes away. Brush it and keep it cut to release the oils for mosquito protection and to avoid going to flower which reduces the scent.”
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Basil
You are probably growing a pot of basil for the summer to add to pasta dishes and tomato salads, but this herb also repels mosquitoes. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is available at garden centers, where you will also find other varieties like purple or cinnamon basil.
To repel mosquitoes, the leaves can be crushed and used in a spray. The potent aroma of the plant’s essential oils turns off mosquitoes. Keep basil from going to flower with regular trimmings and allow the scent to remain strong to keep unwanted mosquito visitors away from your outdoor space.
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Marigold
Marigolds (Tagetes) are garden-friendly additions that help deter insects and other pests. French varieties, like “Durango Mixture French” marigold, help repel mosquitoes from mid-spring through late summer. These plants are available at garden centers in many varieties and are low-maintenance plants. Pinching spent blooms can help release the scent and encourage continuous flowering. Mosquitoes avoid marigolds as flowers to feed on, and they can be grown in borders or planters. “‘Lemon Gem’ Marigold is also a great choice for mosquito control,” says Pierson.
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Lantana
The colorful clusters of lantana make this garden addition a showstopper all season long in planters, hanging baskets or borders. The bundles of blooms and leaves give off a scent to repel insects and mosquitoes but attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard and outdoor living spaces. The leaves contain aromatic compounds that are released in the summer heat that mosquitoes prefer to avoid. Lantana is a hearty plant that thrives in hot, sunny locations and a few well-placed pots or baskets near a patio can offer a natural barrier of protection to chase mosquitoes away.
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Bee Balm
These vibrant flowers are a riot of color in raised beds or garden areas. They are an attractive presence that catches the eye, and the strong scent of bee balm keeps mosquitoes from coming around. Plant it in the spring or fall in well-drained soil in an area that gets full sun. Bee balm generally likes to be planted directly in the garden or landscape soil rather than as a container planting. Place the plants near patio spaces to take advantage of the strong incense-like scent the plant gives off, which provides a natural repellent for mosquitoes in the area.
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Lemongrass
The natural citronella oil found in lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is an effective mosquito repellent with the citrus scent of lemon it lends to the air. Crush up some of the leaves and rub it on your skin. This plant is a low-maintenance garden addition that can help keep your yard free of mosquitoes for the summer season. Lemongrass is easy to care for and is a breezy ornamental in patio pots or the garden landscape. It also helps to provide a barrier for insects.
“Lemongrass can be used as a center element in a container with any type of herb or flowering annual,” says Pierson. “The plant can run on the drier side, so it can take the summer heat as it helps to repel mosquitoes.”
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Rosemary
The lovely scent of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) plays two roles out in the garden and patio areas. The woody sprigs are welcoming to pollinators, but the mosquitoes will be put off by the distinct, herb-scented presence of this plant. Some varieties are known as “Chef’s Choice Culinary Rosemary.” The herb is favored for its essential oil aroma, which is a pleasantly scented repellent to mosquitoes. This plant is drought-tolerant and does well in containers. Place a rosemary plant near the grill for a quick snip, and you can toss a sprig on the hot grates to help diffuse the scent near the patio table.
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Parsley and Cilantro
Parsley tastes grassy, and cilantro adds more tang to a dish as a cut herb. Both herbs will do well in bright, sunny areas, but cilantro is a more delicate grower and doesn’t stand up to heat as well. Both plants give off scents that will work to ward off mosquitoes.
“Parsley, grown in clumps, has a strong scent that deters mosquitoes,” says Pierson. “Cutting it regularly will release the scent. I find that cilantro bolts into flower quickly, losing its strength, so parsley, for me, is a better option.”
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Allium
Many allium species start blooming in early spring before mosquitoes are around. Known for their pungent scent, onion, garlic, leeks, and shallots are all members of the allium family. These hearty perennials can be planted in succession to plan for a full season of blooms to act as a barrier to mosquitoes in and around your garden and patio areas. These plants are reliable growers and require little upkeep and maintenance. The onion scent of allium is favored by gardeners to keep away mosquitoes.
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Lemon balm
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) is a perennial plant with a lemony scent and a hint of mint. It is a perfect natural option for preventing mosquitoes. In the summer, it boasts beautiful white flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
“Lemon balm is a prolific herb that can be used to help repel mosquitoes when you are out gardening,” says Jen McGuinness, author of “Bird-Friendly Gardening.” “Take a few of the leaves and crush them and apply to your wrists, ankles, and neck for mosquito protection.”
Pierson suggests putting lemon balm in containers. “I love this in a mixed container with other herbs or with flowering annuals.”
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FAQs
Where should I place plants that repel mosquitoes?
Think of where you spend the most time outdoors during the summer season, and let that be a guide for plants with natural insect-repellent traits. Porches, patios, pools and fire pit areas are common places for you and your family to spend time. Plants in the landscape and in decorative containers surrounding these gathering spaces create a natural barrier to prevent mosquitoes from lingering in the air.
Are there any other natural ways to repel mosquitoes?
When it comes to repelling mosquitoes outdoors, there are plenty of options to keep things natural and chemical-free.
Does burning coffee grounds repel mosquitoes?
Burning coffee is an effective way to keep mosquitoes away from your gathering outside. When coffee grounds are lit on fire, they give off an acrid, bitter scent in the air, which is unpleasant for mosquitoes and some other flying insects. This method works for a few hours and will keep mosquitoes out of designated areas. However, it probably isn’t the best solution in the long term.
Does incense repel mosquitoes?
Five plant-based oils that repel mosquitoes are rosemary, peppermint, citronella, lemongrass, and cedarwood oils. You can make a spray mixed with water to spray around patio areas or purchase scented oil sticks to place in pots of soil or sand to burn and then diffuse through the yard for several hours.
Does cinnamon repel mosquitoes?
Cinnamon is a natural repellent, and the concentrated scent of cinnamon leaf oil can effectively repel mosquitoes and eliminate their larvae.
Does vanilla repel mosquitoes?
Vanilla extract (or diluted with some water), can be dabbed on skin. It is an appealing scent for people to be around, but it is unpleasant to mosquitoes in the area.
About the Experts
- Barbara Pierson has been the nursery manager of White Flower Farm for 17 years. A Cornell University graduate with a degree in ornamental horticulture, Pierson developed a passion for plants at an early age at her parents’ nursery. She’s now a frequent guest on national and local radio and television and is interviewed as a gardening expert by national publications.
- Jen McGuinness, author of Bird-Friendly Gardening, is a writer, editor, and photographer who has worked in nonprofit communications and in corporate communications. Jen is an award-winning local journalist, earning recognition from the New England Press Association, the Connecticut chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Awards for Publication Excellence.
- Gary Pilarchik, author Growing an Edible Landscape, has been gardening for most of his life. His grandfather taught him about vegetable gardening in first grade, and it ignited a passion that has been with him ever since. Gary started his YouTube channel, The Rusted Garden, in 2011 as a way to enjoy himself and teach others about gardening and started a second channel, My First Vegetable Garden, a few years later to cater to first-time vegetable growers.
