Plants that actually stop Mosquitoes (and ones that don't)

The Citronella Myth

Everyone buys Citronella plants. “It repels mosquitoes!” Newsflash: It only works if you crush the leaves and rub them on your skin. Just having the plant sitting there does nothing. The mosquitoes will literally land on the leaves.

What actually works?

Not much. Nature is tough. But some plants help a little bit (mostly by smell masking).

1. Lemongrass (Tanglad) Same as Citronella. Has oil. You can cook with it. Plant it around the perimeter. It looks nice.

2. Neem Tree The heavy hitter. Mosquitoes hate it. BUT… it’s a tree. You can’t put it in your bathroom. You can burn the dried leaves to smoke them out (smells like barbecue, works like a charm).

3. Marigolds They smell pungent. Bugs don’t like them. But they need full sun. If you put them in a shady corner, they die.

Plants to AVOID (The Breeder Plants)

These plants are traitorous. They collect water. Mosquitoes lay eggs in the water. You are breeding them.

1. Bromeliads Beautiful. But the center cup holds water. It is a 5-star hotel for Dengue mosquitoes. If you have these, flush them with a hose every 2 days.

2. Bird of Paradise Same issue. Leaves trap water near the stem.

Summary

Don’t rely on plants. Buy a screen. Buy a fan. Mosquitoes are weak fliers. A standard electric fan is the best repellent in existence.