Wasp problems bothering you? Don’t worry—we’ve got the Best Wasp Repellent Plants that will keep them at bay!
You don’t have to use harmful pesticides to keep wasps away and prevent them from making nests. Just be an intelligent gardener and grow these Wasp Repellent Plants.
What Keeps Wasps Away?
Wasps have a keen sense of smell and keep away from minty (peppermint and spearmint) and citrus smells. So if you’re going with a plant to repel wasps, make sure it’s the right one.
Best Wasp Repellent Plants
1. Wormwood
Botanical Name: Artemisia absinthium
The credit goes to the pungent smell, which helps this wasp-repellent plant to keep all kinds of pests, including mosquitos, away. Although Wormwood grows easily in well-draining soil, don’t plant Wormwood near your edible crops–they will slow down its growth.
2. Lemongrass
Botanical Name: Cymbopogon
The citrusy scent of Lemongrass is a natural repellent that wasps find quite appalling. It contains compounds like citral and geraniol, which have a strong fragrance that overwhelms wasps’ delicate olfactory sense, sending them away.
3. Pennyroyal
Botanical Name: Mentha pulegium
Pennyroyal has a scent similar to mint, which means bees and wasps don’t like it. It is very easy to grow and does best in moist soils in full sun or partial shade. But there’s a catch.
Note: This plant is toxic and should not be used around people or pets. So be careful with this one and only go for it as a last resort. You can pick any of the other safe plants for repelling wasps from our list.
4. Eucalyptus
Botanical Name: Eucalyptus
The essential oils in the Eucalyptus tree’s scent linger in the air for a long time, making it effective at repelling wasps and other insects. Eucalyptus can vary in form from a short shrub to a tall tree and grows best in warm to hot climates.
5. Citronella
Botanical Name: Cymbopogon nardus
Citronella repels wasps easily, and you can burn Citronella candles to keep them away. But why spend bucks on substitutes when you can grow the plant itself? It is an easy-grower pest repellent and will also thrive indoors.
6. Geraniums
Botanical Name: Pelargonium hortorum
Geraniums, particularly red ones, are effective at getting rid of bees and wasps. Due to their strong fragrance and low pollen content, they won’t attract wasps. Geraniums grow in good garden soil and need little fertilizer.
7. Clove
Botanical Name: Syzygium aromaticum
The spicy scent of Cloves is disliked by wasps, which ensures that these pests stay away from them. Plant a few clove plants or sprinkle some whole cloves around your garden and see how easily you can get rid of these insects.
8. Spearmint
Botanical Name: Mentha spicata
These wasp repellent plants can be invasive sometimes, so you should grow them in a container where their scent will keep the wasps away. They prefer part shade and moist soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH.
9. Peppermint
Botanical Name: Mentha × piperita
Like Spearmint, Peppermint also repels wasps because of its smell, but it has a much higher concentration of menthol and is considered the most effective wasp-repellent plant. It can easily tolerate a bit of dry soil but not long periods of drought.
10. Catnip
Botanical Name: Nepeta cataria
Catnip has a strong, minty scent that keeps wasps and other flying insects away from the garden. It is a perennial that is easy to grow in well-drained soil and full sun–our guide will help you grow it.
11. Thyme
Botanical Name: Thymus vulgaris
Though, there is no study to back this claim, but you actually don’t need one! Why? Well, because the strong fragrance of thyme is really potent to keep the wasps at bay. Don’t believe us? Keep it where these insects frequent and keep on crushing its leaves to watch them fly away!
