Mosquitoes can quickly turn a pleasant day outdoors into an itchy nightmare, but there’s a natural way to keep them at bay. Certain flowers not only add beauty and color to your garden but also help repel these pesky insects. Best of all, these flowers are easy to grow, making them a perfect addition to any garden or patio. In this article, we’ll explore 5 easy-to-grow flowers that can help keep mosquitoes away, so you can enjoy your outdoor spaces in peace.
1. Lavender
The delightful scent of lavender comes from the essential oils found in its leaves like a natural repellent mosquito that interferes with its sense of smell. It contains essential oils like linalool, linalyl acetate, and camphor, which give it its unique fragrance.
This hardy plant is adaptable to different conditions but thrives best in well-drained, dry soil and full sunlight. While it can survive in various climates, lavender does especially well in warmer regions.
With its tall spikes of purple flowers and silvery-green leaves, lavender is a beautiful and calming choice for hedges and borders.
2. Bee Balm
Bee balm, also known as Monarda or horsemint, is a great plant for your garden. It attracts beneficial insects like bees and butterflies while keeping pests away. As bee balm grows and blooms, it gives off scents that mosquitoes dislike. Or you just crush its leaves to release its fragrant oils.
This lovely plant is perfect for edging garden beds or planting in containers, you’ll enjoy vibrant flowers in red, pink, lavender, white, or purple throughout the summer. Choose a sunny spot with fertile, well-draining soil that stays evenly moist for best results.
3. Lantana
Lantana’s essential oils produce a strong scent that the dengue-carrying Aedes mosquitoes find overwhelming. The leaves release their aromatic compounds when warmed by sunlight. By planting Lantana near your entrance, rubbing its crushed leaves, or tossing them into a fire, you create a natural barrier against mosquitoes. Even better, this plant not only repels bugs but also attracts butterflies with its beautiful blooms.
This perennial shrub thrives in full sun and can grow in both moist and dry soil. With its lovely flowers, you can easily manage its growth by planting it in pots or hanging baskets.
4. Marigold
Marigolds are cheerful, bright flowers that make a great addition to any garden, whether in pots or planting beds. These easy-to-grow annuals emit a scent that keeps mosquitoes away, thanks to the natural insecticides they produce. This is why marigolds have such a strong odor when you touch them.
Plant marigolds in pots and place them near your patio or home entrance to help keep bugs out. They don’t just repel mosquitoes; they also deter pests like aphids, thrips, whiteflies, Mexican bean beetles, squash bugs, and tomato hornworms.
Marigolds thrive in full sunlight and can handle very hot summers. However, if planted in shady, cool, and moist areas, they are more likely to get powdery mildew and may not bloom as well.
5. Allium
Alliums, which are members of the onion family, give off a sulfur-onion scent that repels mosquitoes but isn’t noticeable to humans. These bulbs, which include garlic and onions, release a strong fragrance that mosquitoes dislike.
You’ll enjoy the whimsical, globe-shaped flowers of alliums, which seem to float on top of their long, slender stems. An allium flower head is made up of many small florets. The shape of this flower cluster can be round, oval, or cascading, and the blooms can be white, yellow, pink, purple, or blue. Alliums come in various heights, with some as short as 5 inches and others reaching up to 4 feet. Each type of allium brings its own unique style and personality to the garden.
Alliums grow best in full sun, though most varieties can tolerate some partial shade. Like other bulbs, they need well-drained soil that doesn’t stay soggy.
