Want to keep the bugs off your property in a smart way? Here are some beautiful Bug Repellant Plants that will keep them away.
Tired of insects hovering around your home and gardens? Don’t worry! You can keep them at bay without the use of any chemicals by growing these Bug Repellant Plants.
Check out our article on spider repellant plants here
Bug Repellant Plants
1. Mint
Botanical Name: Mentha
This fragrant herb has several medicinal properties and its scent acts as a natural bug repellent. It can deter ants, mosquitoes, and spiders away from your home or garden.
Here’s all you need to know about growing mint
2. Catnip
Botanical Name: Nepeta cataria
Another member from the mint family, catnip prevents bugs, as it contains an active ingredient nepetalactone, which also attracts cats. This aromatic herb also repels flies in cattle feedlots.
Want to grow Catnip? Click here
3. Chrysanthemum
Botanical Name: Chrysanthemum × morifolium
The compound that works against bugs in mums is known as Pyrethrins. It is also used in several commercial insect repellants. Grow beautiful mums and keeps beetles, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and silverfish away.
Here’s all you need to know about growing Chrysanthemum
4. Marigold
Botanical Name: Tagetes
These beautiful sun-loving flowers are generally grown by farmers as companion plants to keep bugs away. They ooze out an airborne substance known as limonene that keeps bugs, aphids, and mosquitoes at bay.
Check out our article on growing marigolds here
5. Petunias
Botanical Name: Petunia
This bright-colored plant produces an alkaloid substance that helps in repelling bugs when they try to eat them. You can grow them to keep squash bugs, beetles, and aphids away. Grow petunias where they get plenty of sunlight.
Here’s all you need to know about growing Petunias
6. Alliums
Botanical Name: Allium
This group includes chives, shallots, leeks, garlic, and onions. They bloom in beautiful white, purple, or pink flowers and contain a substance known as lectins that guard vegetables in your garden from flies, bugs, slugs, and worms.
7. Basil
Botanical Name: Ocimum basilicum
Basil is one of the best bug-deterring plants. It also produces an oil that kills mosquito eggs. Grow basil in pots or hanging baskets and get rid of flies, bugs, and mosquitoes.
Have a look at our article on growing basil here
8. Lavender
Botanical Name: Lavandula
The aroma that people love in spas that cure insomnia and calms depressed minds is an irritant for moths, flies, and bugs. Grow it on a sunny spot of your garden or have its bouquet to keep bugs away from your yard or home.
Check out our article on growing Lavender here
9. Lemongrass
Botanical Name: Cymbopogon
The leaves of this mosquito repellant plant emit a pleasant aroma, which is disliked by bugs. Grow this grass in your yard and keep bugs and mosquitoes away.
Here’s all you need to know about growing Lemongrass
10. Garlic
Botanical Name: Allium sativum
Garlic takes the top spot when it comes to keeping the bugs at bay. It is the most potent plant in eliminating insects from your yard too. The pungent and spicy scent acts as a natural insect repellant.
Check out our article on growing Garlic here
11. Rosemary
Botanical Name: Rosmarinus officinalis
Rosemary bushes contain two effective insecticides–cineole and camphor, that act together in combating bugs, protecting your vegetables and home from their infestation.
Here’s all the information you need to grow Rosemary
12. Bay Leaf Plant
Botanical Name: Laurus nobilis
Both the plant and dried bay leaves are great in combating ants, cockroaches, weevils, moths, and flies. If you don’t have a bay leaf plant, you can use dry leaves as well for repelling bugs.
Check out our article on growing bay leaf here
13. Sage
Botanical Name: Salvia officinalis
Sage helps in keeping annoying bugs away from your home or garden. You can get rid of flies, ants, and mosquitoes by growing sage plants in a sunny spot.
Here’s all you need to know about growing Sage
14. Lemon Balm
Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis
This lemon-scented plant with mint-like leaves is quite potent in repelling bugs and insects. It also works effectively against gnats and mosquitoes.
15. Prince of Orange Geranium
Botanical Name: Pelargonium citrosum
This beautiful geranium emits a waft of citrus-like fragrance that helps in repelling bugs and mosquitoes. It is best to grow it with other bug-repelling plants from the list to make it more potent.
