Mosquito Control - Ask Extension
Are their plants that effectively repel mosquitos?
Knowledgebase
Mosquito Control #937517
Asked July 01, 2026, 3:55 PM EDT
Are their plants that effectively repel mosquitos?
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
In a garden setting, no, plants do not reliably or effectively repel mosquitoes. Plant defensive chemicals serve functions like repelling herbivores (mosquitoes don't consume land plants) and combating infections. The extracts of some plants (oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, for instance), concentrated through lab processing, can repel mosquitoes, and have been used in commercial repellents once tested for human safety and efficacy.
The best way to discourage mosquitoes is to follow the guidance in our Controlling Mosquitoes page, which provides several non-chemical ways to eliminate or reduce breeding sites and encouraging a diverse range of predators that will eat the mosquitoes, two key steps in reducing the population more effectively than sprays.
Miri
The best way to discourage mosquitoes is to follow the guidance in our Controlling Mosquitoes page, which provides several non-chemical ways to eliminate or reduce breeding sites and encouraging a diverse range of predators that will eat the mosquitoes, two key steps in reducing the population more effectively than sprays.
Miri
