Mosquitoes and other pesky insects are a common problem in most households. While there’s no denying that insecticides are convenient, they’re not always advisable to use, especially if you have family members, such as kids and pets, who are allergic to they’re strong chemical ingredients. Add that to the lingering unpleasant and dizzying feeling you get after spraying them.
As always, taking a natural approach to addressing your insect problems at home is the best route to take.
We all know that there are certain plants and herbs that insects, mosquitoes in particular hate. There’s citronella grass, catnip, basil, lemon balm, and the list goes on. But did you know, there are flowering plants, too, that can do the trick while adding color and chic to your living space?
Check out three of our favorite insect-repellent flowering plants:
Marigold
These gorgeous annual flowering plants usher in a happy dose of sunshine with petals in different shades of gold, copper, and orange. Marigolds have an uncanny resemblance to daisies and carnations.
Marigolds have 56 species divided into two genera, Tagetes and Calendula. Some of our favorite marigold varieties are:
- Calendula officinalis
- Tagetes Cottage Red
- Baileya multiradiata
- Calendula officinalis Bon Bon Mix
- Caltha palustris
- Tagetes erect Antigua Orange
- Tagetes erect Discovery Orange
- Tagetes erect Doubloon
- Tagetes erect Inca Yellow
- Tagetes erecta Moonstruck Series
- Park’s Whopper Yellow Marigold
Mosquitoes and other creepy crawlers (and flyers) hate the smell of marigolds. A common favorite among both farmers and gardeners, marigolds also thwart any threat from nematodes underneath the surface of the soil.
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums are popularly used in flower arrangements. Commonly called "mums," they come in a variety of vibrant colors and sizes.
Types of chrysanthemums:
- Single – Amber Morning, Tenderness, Daisy
- Pompom – Moonbeam, Pixie, Small Wonder
- Cushion – Chiffon, Valour, Ruby Mound
- Spider – Anastasia, Cremon
- Spoon – Happy Face, Starlet
- Quill – Muted Sunshine, Matchsticks
- Decorative – Tobago, Indian Summer
These charming flowering plants have been found effective in driving away undesirable insects, including roaches, ants, ticks, lice, fleas, bedbugs, and spider mites. Thanks to its wonderful natural insect-busting ingredient, pyrethrum, which unsurprisingly are also used in commercial pesticide for home and garden use, and many pet care products.
Chrysanthemums are easy to grow, will survive in most types of soil, and love the sun.
Petunias
These trumpet-shaped flowers are annual flowering plants originally from Argentina. Petunias offer a diverse variety displaying showy blooms in a rainbow of colors.
There are four major types of petunia:
- Grandiflora – The oldest types of petunia developed way back in 1975. This variety has impressive bouquets that grow up to five inches. Grandiflora petunia series include Ultra, Dream, Storm, Daddy, Supermagic, Supercascade.
- Multiflora – Smaller plants with numerous flowers that thrive in windy climates. This petunia series include Primetime, Celebrity, Carpet, Horizon, and Mirage.
- Milliflora – Miniature petunias that are best grown in hanging baskets. Picobella and Fantasy.
- Spreading or Wave – These petunias have the ability to spread up to four feet across, making them wonderful ground covers. Easy wave, Shock Wave, Avalanche.
Petunia flowering plants are known for shooing away beetles, bugs, leafhoppers, and aphids.
Flower Gardening Tips:
- Get a few pots of these amazing insect-busting flowering plants and put them strategically in areas around your house and garden where you love hanging out.
- If you notice signs of wilting or drying, take the pot outside at least every morning for a healthy dose of sunshine until it recovers.
- Ask your florist for fertilizer and care instructions specific to the flowering plant of your choice.
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