Insect repellent flowers & plants
By John127
NY, United States
What plants and flowers are good to keep away biting insects, such as mosquito's and ticks. For home and camping
- 19 Mar, 2008
Answers
Herbs would seem to be your best bet as mozzie repelling plants. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), Lads Love (Artemesia abrotarnum), Penny Royal (Mentha pulegium), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare),Wormwood (Artemesia absinthium) and Lemon Thyme(Thymus citriodorus) all are reputed to work.
Pyrethrum (Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium/ C. coccineum) and Rue (Ruta graveolens) are supposedly good for repelling ticks.
The trick is to bruise the leaves as the active ingredient in the repellent is in the oils or sap. Pick some of the leaves, crush them between your fingers and use as a pot-pourri or gather bunches of them,bruise the leaves and hang them over your doors or windows.
As with all plants these can have effects on us humans too so go gently and do a bit of research!
Good luck
19 Mar, 2008
Garlic - but you need to eat it, not just grow it! I'm afraid you've missed the boat this year tho - garlic has to be planted in autumn/winter so that it gets a good period of cold, but is fairly trouble free and easy to grow otherwise.
Also Eucalyptus is used as a mozy repellent, but I don't know how you would prepare it - you certainly don't eat it!
19 Mar, 2008
Thanks, Irush, Mmaple and Sid for the response. From John127
20 Mar, 2008
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the only thing i can think of at the moment john are marigolds. ill try find some others and let you know.
19 Mar, 2008