home&garden
Citronella is the perennial grass
that is extremely effective in
keeping mosquitos at bay.
Recently, scientists have found catnip, a perennial herb
related to mint, to be more effective than Deet as an insect
repellant. Cat owners, however, will want to see how it
effects their pets, as it may either overexcite them or make
them very mellow.
Another pretty addition to your garden that does double
duty as a mosquito repellant is Ageratum. It also attracts
beautiful butterflies. Although most blue flowers require
a sunny location, the fluffy blue Ageratum is happy
even in partial shade. Also called floss flowers, Ageratums
secrete coumarin, which is a smell that mosquitos typically
abhor.
There is no question that purely decorative plants and
grasses tend to be foremost in our minds when selecting
landscape material. However, in addition to color, texture
and scent, the extra perk of growing insect repellant may
be enticing. 9
Ageratum, that is
frequently included
in rock gardens,
is an easy-to-grow
powder puff-like
annual that secretes
a substance that
is used in some
mosquito repellants.
MARCH/APRIL 2015 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 115