10 Flowers & Plants that Repel Bugs (2024)

FAQs

What flowering plant keeps bugs away? ›

Chrysanthemums. These flowers contain pyrethrum, a natural insecticide that is used in many bug repellants sold in stores. The flowers are great for repelling ants, beetles, roaches, mosquitos, and other pests. Plant them in areas like entryways and patio areas to keep bugs away.

Chrysanthemums

Also known as mums, these common garden plants can help you keep roaches, ants, beetles, ticks, lice, fleas and mites away from your home. Chrysanthemums are part of the Pyrethrum genus. Extracts from mums, and other flowers in this category, can actually kill many of these insects.

Lavender. Include beautiful lavender in your garden plans to help keep biting mosquitoes at bay. Varieties with higher camphor properties are the most effective insect repellents. This includes 'Provence' and 'Grosso' lavender.

Bugs hate the smells associated with repellency, such as lavender, citronella, vinegar, peppermint, and geranium. These oils are considered a natural way of driving away bugs from your home without harming you, your family, and other animals.

Geraniums are a favorite flower for their attractive blooms, but they also repel cabbageworms, corn earworms, Japanese beetles, and more. You can plant geraniums among your vegetables or cabbage patch for maximum insect-repelling results.

Eucalyptus. The eucalyptus plant repels bees and wasps. It is a drought-tolerant plant and does not need much water, but the aromatic eucalyptus leaves work well to keep bees and wasps away. Plant the eucalyptus in a pot or directly in the ground, but choose a spot with lots of sunlight.

It is widely known among gardeners that the smell of marigolds can be a good fly-repellent plant, against the likes of blackflies and whitefly, and also a good way to get rid of aphids. That strong scent also makes it a great mosquito repellent plant and wasp-repellent plant.

Petunias. Another beautiful addition to your garden, petunias have a lovely purple hue that adds a burst of color while helping to repel some of the pests that want a bite of your vegetables. Petunias can help to repel tomato hornworms, aphids, leafhoppers, squash bugs, and asparagus beetles.

A great recipe for a homemade bug spray for vegetable plants is to use one tablespoon of dish soap, one cup of vegetable oil, one quart of water, and one cup of rubbing alcohol.

What is the number one natural insect repellent? ›

1. Lemon eucalyptus oil. Used since the 1940s, lemon eucalyptus oil is one of the more well-known natural repellents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have approved eucalyptus oil as an effective ingredient in mosquito repellent.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus): Lemongrass is the plant that citronella, a common ingredient in traditional insect repellents, is made from, so it's no surprise that lemongrass repels flies and other insects. Peppermint (Mentha piperita): Peppermint can not only repel house flies but also kill house fly larvae.

For a "foolproof recipe" that banishes mosquitoes, combine 1/3 cup witch hazel and 1/3 cup water with 40 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. "Mosquitoes detest the strong aroma of eucalyptus, so this easy homemade mosquito repellent is sure to be a winner," says Harlow-Ellis.

Sweet Basil is the quintessential Italian culinary herb, most famous for its use in pesto. Attracts / Repels: Basil naturally repels asparagus beetle, carrot fly, tomato hornworm, mosquitoes, flies, and whiteflies. It also attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects to the garden.

Known for its calming scent, lavender attracts good bugs such as butterflies and bees, and it deters fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, flies, and moths.

Mint deters white cabbage moths, ants, rodents, flea beetles, fleas, and aphids.