Few things ruin a peaceful moment in the garden faster than mosquitoes. You step outside to water your plants or enjoy a quiet evening, and suddenly you’re swatting instead of relaxing. Sure, their bites are annoying, but there’s also the potential health risk of contracting the serious diseases they can carry.
The good news? While no plant can completely eliminate mosquitoes on its own, certain plants give off scents that mosquitoes really don’t like. When grown near patios, walkways, and seating areas, these plants can help make your garden a little more enjoyable and a lot less itchy.
Here are some of the best mosquito-repelling plants for home gardens, many of which are easy to grow and useful in the kitchen, too.
HOW DO CERTAIN PLANTS REPEL MOSQUITOS?
One of the (many) reasons plants are so incredible is a thing called antibiosis. Basically, plants have built-in defenses against pests. You may be familiar with pyrethrum and neem oil. These are phytotoxins from plants that have been developed as pesticides.
More and more, scientists have been looking to plants to help us deter the pests that most plague us: mosquitos. And the results are promising.
The essential oils inside anti-mosquito plants contain compounds like cineole, camphor, limonene, and estragole. Some of these compounds can actually kill adults or their larvae on contact. Others work by interfering with the pests’ sensory receptors, making it really hard for them to track you by your scent or carbon dioxide emissions.
Growing plants mosquitos hate helps protect us from these bloodsuckers without turning to harmful chemicals in our yards or on our skin. These plants are most effective when grown close to the areas you want to keep mosquito-free, like walkways, seating areas, and patios. Many of them also repel other bugs, so plant them in or around your vegetable garden to provide organic pest control, as well. It’s better for you and the environment.
Some of these plants work best when their essential oils are rubbed directly on your skin. More on this in a bit!
THE BEST PLANTS TO KEEP MOSQUITOS AWAY
Add these 10 plants to your garden plan to keep mosquitos and other flying pests at bay:
- Basil
- Bee balm
- Catnip
- Lavender
- Lemon Balm
- Marigolds
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
Now, let’s look at each of these plants so you can determine the best mosquito repellent to grow in your space.
1. Basil
Basil isn’t just a kitchen staple; it’s also a natural deterrent for flying pests like mosquitos and flies. Basil releases scent constantly, but its strong aroma is most noticeable when the leaves are brushed or harvested. Consider keeping basil in a container on an outdoor table or growing it in the ground right alongside your patio.
Another great spot for some basil plants? Next to any outdoor water features. Compounds in basil (like camphor, limonene, and estragole) kill mosquito larvae, so female mosquitos will steer clear (Source).
Bonus: Let your basil plants flower near the end of the season, and they’ll attract tons of pollinators and other beneficial insects to your vegetable garden. Oh, and don’t forget fresh basil whenever you need it.
Growing Notes:
Basil is an annual herb that grows best in warm and hot weather. It likes regular watering and lots of sun. If you’re growing in a hot climate, How to Grow All Summer Long offers helpful tips for keeping plants healthy and productive.
2. Bee Balm
Want your landscaping to repel mosquitos? Plant some bee balm. Also known as wild bergamot and horsemint, bee balm is a pollinator-friendly plant that also repels insects like mosquitos with its aroma. Adding native plants like bee balm into your flower beds is a great way to support the little ecosystem that is your yard.
Growing Notes:
This flowering herb from the mint family spreads itself around your garden. I recommend planting it in the ground and giving it room to itself. You can grow blooms in shades of red, purple, pink, and white. Even better, look for a bee balm type that’s native to your area to best support your pollinators.
3. Catnip
Catnip has a long history of use to keep pests at bay. Studies have found oil from this mosquito-repelling plant to be as effective as synthetic repellent ingredients like DEET (Source). Rich in the chemical compound nepetalactone, catnip oil also deters flies and ants.
If you grow this in your yard, just be prepared for neighborhood cats to show extra interest.
Growing Notes:
Catnip is in the same plant family as bee balm. Plant in containers if you want to keep it contained. It likes full sun and well-drained soil.
4. Lavender
Lavender is a garden favorite for good reason. Its soothing fragrance smells wonderful to us but is a major turnoff to mosquitoes, gnats, fleas, flies, and ticks. That’s thanks to compounds like linalool, a natural insecticide that disrupts an insect’s nervous system (Source).
Even though the essential oils in lavender repel pests, the pretty purple flowers are still attractive to beneficial insects, including pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Growing Notes:
Once established, lavender is a low-maintenance perennial. These plants actually prefer a little neglect over being overwatered. Plant lavender in a sunny spot with good drainage, along walkways, near seating areas, or in containers. While it’s also in the mint family, it’s safe to plant in raised beds or mixed containers.
There are many different varieties of lavender, so look for a type that grows well in your climate. If you want to grow lavender successfully, especially in warmer climates, check out How to Grow Lavender: 10 Beginner Tips for planting and care advice.
5. Marigolds
Marigolds are bright, cheerful, and surprisingly effective at discouraging pests. Their scent, which comes from a compound called pyrethrum, helps deter not only mosquitoes, but also aphids, thrips, squash bugs, hornworms, and whiteflies (Source). That’s probably why it’s known as “nature’s insecticide”.
You can apply essential oils from this plant on your skin to keep pesky critters away, but marigolds also release their aroma constantly. For that reason, you’ll want to grow some near any spot where you hang out regularly or have veggies growing.
Like lavender, magrigolds deter pests while also attracting beneficial insects. They’re a win-win in the garden.
Growing Notes:
Marigolds are incredibly easy to grow from seed. You’ll plant these annuals once danger of frost has passed. I love to plant marigolds along the edges of raised beds and containers; they’re also great plants to add color to garden borders.
For timing your planting just right, see When to Start Marigold Seeds Indoors for Spring Blooms.
6. Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is part of the mint family and has a citrusy scent that mosquitoes dislike. Crush the leaves and rub them directly on your skin before spending time outdoors. You’ll smell incredible and avoid itchy, red bites.
Growing Notes:
Lemon balm is a hardy perennial that’s easy to grow. It tolerates full sun or partial shade. It likes to take over (it’s in the mint family), so consider growing it in a container to control its spread. Even then, if you let it flower (which is easy to do since the blooms are pretty subtle), you’ll find lemon balm popping up in new spots next year. On the bright side, pollinators love those flowers.
7. Peppermint
One of nature’s best mosquito deterrents is also a super tasty herb. The intense menthol scent of peppermint is quite effective at repelling mosquitos (Source). That’s probably why people have been planting mint near doorways and windows for hundreds of years.
When you do suffer insect bites, you’ll want to have some peppermint on hand. The cooling effect of the oil can relieve the itchiness.
Growing Notes:
Peppermint grows quickly with very little fuss. Because it spreads aggressively, containers are the best choice for most gardens.
8. Rosemary
Rosemary’s woody scent makes for a lovely-smelling all-natural mosquito repellent. This herb is being studied for its many insecticidal effects, thanks in large part to its high cineole and camphor content (Source). In addition to mosquitoes, it also repels slugs and flies.
Besides rubbing some rosemary oil on your skin, you could also toss a sprig of this herb into a fire for some fragrant insect repellent on a cooler night.
Growing Notes:
A hardy perennial, rosemary thrives in warm, dry conditions. It’s a great plant to grow near patios, walkways, and outdoor cooking spaces. You can harvest leaves year round in mild areas. If you’re growing in warm climates, How to Grow Rosemary Herb Plants in Central Texas covers everything from planting to long-term care.
9. Sage
Keep your backyard mosquito-free with this beautiful perennial herb. Sage has a strong, earthy aroma that comes from cineole (also found in rosemary, as well as eucalyptus and camphor), which actually disrupts an insect’s sensory receptors.
Rub some oil on your skin to unleash the power of cineole, or toss a sprig onto your grill when you’re barbecuing to enjoy some bug-free outdoor time this summer.
Besides mosquitoes, sage is useful for repelling flea beetles, moths, and slugs. Plant it near veggies most prone to pests. Double bonus: the pretty pink or purple sage flowers attract tons of beneficial insects.
Growing Notes:
Sage is super easy to grow and maintain. It works well in herb gardens and raised beds, especially in sunny, well-drained areas. If you’re starting from seed, How to Plant Sage Seeds: A Complete Beginner’s Guide walks you through the process step by step.
10. Thyme
Thyme may be small, but it packs a powerful scent that mosquitoes don’t enjoy. It’s perfect for edging garden beds or growing in containers close to where you spend time outdoors. Rub some crushed leaves on your skin or toss a couple thyme sprigs onto the fire if you’re sitting out at night to keep bothersome pests away.
Growing Notes:
This perennial herb is low-growing, drought-tolerant, and incredibly useful in the kitchen. I love to add thyme plants to the borders of raised beds. Learn how to grow it from start to finish in How to Grow Thyme Plants From Seed to Harvest.
What About Citronella?
Citronella is probably the most well-known plant associated with mosquito control, but that doesn’t mean it’s the most effective. What’s referred to as the mosquito plant is actually two different plants: citronella grass and citronella geranium (the kind you most often see for sale at big box stores). Their strong lemony scents help mask the smells mosquitoes use to find people.
Unlike some of the herbs above, however, citronella doesn’t repel mosquitos simply by being planted nearby. The oils have to be extracted to be useful. And even then, some studies haven’t found those oils to be particularly effective as insect repellent.
If you want to grow citronella, it might still be worth keeping a plant or two on your patio or near outdoor gathering areas to use as needed. Keep in mind these plants can grow large (up to 5 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide), so they’re not ideal for smaller garden spaces. They’re only perennial in zones 9 or warmer, so I recommend growing citronella in a container if you live in a cooler climate. That way, you can bring it indoors for winter.
HOW TO USE THESE PLANTS TO MAKE A NATURAL MOSQUITO REPELLENT
Here are a few ways to help you unleash the full power of these herbs in keeping skeeters at bay with homemade mosquito repellents:
CRUSHED LEAVES
Crush the leaves of basil, lemon balm, or peppermint between your fingertips to release the oils and rub them directly on exposed parts of your skin. If the plant is new to you, test on a small patch of skin first.
DIY BUG SPRAY
You can infuse fresh leaves from one of these plants by grinding them up, steeping them in water or oil for 12 to 24 hours, and then straining the mixture into a spray bottle.
INSECT-REPELLING SALVES
Mix the essential oils from these plants with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) for a potent salve to rub on skin.
NOTE: If you can no longer smell the herb on your skin, it’s time to reapply. Don’t expect your DIY sprays to last as long as commercial-grade bug spray.
A FEW FINAL TIPS FOR DESIGNING A GARDEN THAT CONTROLS MOSQUITOS NATURALLY
No plant can compete with a mosquito-breeding ground, so follow these tips to make your space less inviting to mosquitos.
AVOID STANDING WATER
Female mosquitoes can lay their eggs in even the tiniest drops of stagnant water. Look around your yard for anything that might collect rain (empty buckets, watering cans, or pots) and turn them over or empty them regularly. Clean clogged gutters. If you have a bird bath, either change out the water daily or keep the water circulating with a little fountain or water agitator.
PLACE CONTAINERS STRATEGICALLY
Many mosquito-repelling plants work best when kept close, so focus on patios, doorways, and seating areas.
KEEP GRASS TRIMMED
Grass provides a nice wind-free shelter for mosquitoes, so mow your lawn before it grows too tall, especially around seating areas and garden beds. Even better, rip up all your grass and replace it with native plants!
USE WIND TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Mosquitoes have a hard time flying in the wind, so using a fan on your patio can keep those little bloodsuckers at bay.
MOSQUITO REPELLENT FAQ
WHAT SMELL DO MOSQUITOES HATE THE MOST?
Mosquitos hate the strong scent of aromatic herbs like basil, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender, which interferes with their ability to find human hosts using sensory receptors. Essential oils from some of these herbs also kill mosquito larvae, so female mosquitos will steer clear when searching for stagnant water to lay their eggs.
DO COFFEE GROUNDS KEEP MOSQUITOES AWAY?
Just scattering coffee grounds around your garden the way you would for slugs will not deter mosquitos. You need to burn dry grounds to release their strong scent and mask human odors. Caffeine is naturally toxic to mosquito larvae and slows adults down.
HOW DO I MAKE MYSELF LESS ATTRACTIVE TO MOSQUITOES?
Mosquitos are drawn to dark colors, as well as sweat and other body odors. To make yourself less attractive, wear light-colored clothing that leaves minimal skin exposed. Use a commercial or DIY mosquito repellent, and stay indoors during dawn and dusk, when mosquitos are most active. Avoid wearing strong floral scents.
While these plants won’t eliminate mosquitoes entirely, they’re a simple, natural way to make your garden more comfortable — and more productive — at the same time. They’re also handy to have in your kitchen and even in your herbal medicine cabinet.
A garden that smells good, helps you avoid chemical pesticides, and provides harvests with tons of uses? That’s always worth growing.
