114 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE MARCH/APRIL 2015
home&garden
DUAL PURPOSE PLANTS
Using Your Garden Wisely
By Martha Margolis
With the choice of so many beautiful
flowering plants and exquisite
foliage to grow in your garden,
you may want to include a practical benefit
when selecting live flora for your home.
There are plants that deliver color, texture
and beauty that are also known to bemosquito
repellants. This bonus feature will be
particularly appreciated if you enjoy the
great outdoors at twilight, when mosquitos
seem most interested in your arms and legs.
By planting in the springtime, you will
receive the immediate gratification of seeing
blooms throughout several seasons. One
commonly grown ornamental annual plant
is the hearty marigold. Since it contains
Pyrethrum, a compound used in many insect
repellants, it is ideal to plant or pot near
entrances or open windows of your home.
The term Citronella is commonly associated
with candles and sprays and is known to keep
mosquitos at bay; but the plant is an attractive
clumping grass with low maintenance,
which can grow up to six-feet-tall. It does
best in full sun and well-drained locations.
However, don’t be misled by plants marketed
as “citronella scented,” as they do not provide
the same mosquito repelling protection that
real citronella does.
Horsemint, a pretty lavender-colored or
red perennial that repels mosquitos, is also
known as “bee balm,” which is often used in
alternative medicine. It grows well in dry,
sandy soil, so it is well suited for coastal
areas and beaches. Ironically, horsemint is
thought to confuse insects with its strong
incense-like odor that masks the smell of
other plants.
In addition
to being
a pretty
border plant,
marigolds
are also
thought to
repel pesky
mosquitos.