They are there just in time for the start of the warm season. Buzzing mosquitoes are out in droves looking for human blood donations. To prevent pests from attacking you on the balcony, you should use special defensive plants. Get to know the 10 best balcony plants against mosquitoes here.
Which balcony plants keep mosquitoes away?
To keep mosquitoes away from your balcony, essential oils from plants such as catnip, lavender, lemon pelargonium, frankincense plant, eucalyptus, chives garlic, marigold, flowering sage, castor bean and peppermint help. Tomato plants, especially cherry tomatoes, also act as a mosquito deterrent.
What makes plants a bulwark against mosquitoes?
When mosquitoes run away, essential oils are usually involved. Scientists have discovered that the special scent has a repellent effect on the stinging insects. Therefore, manufacturers of sprays and lotions against mosquitoes usually use essential oils in highly concentrated form.
The 10 best balcony plants for mosquito repellent
Balcony gardeners use the scientific findings on the effectiveness of essential oils against mosquitoes when selecting plants in summer. The following overview introduces you to the best balcony plants against mosquitoes:
| Goodbye mosquitoes | botanical name | Growth height | Bloom | Flowering time | special feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catnip | Nepeta x faassenii | 30 to 40 cm | purple blue ears of corn | May to August | Bee Pasture |
| Lavender | Lavandula angustifolia | 20 to 50 cm | purple blue ears of corn | July to September | excellent for dried flowers |
| Lemon Geranium | Pelargonium citriodorum | 30 to 50 cm | pink-purple-white geranium flowers | June to September | not hardy, perennial if wintered behind glass |
| Frankincense plant | Plectranthus coleoides | 30 to 100 cm | violet and white | March to September | evergreen and not frost-resistant |
| Eucalyptus | Eucalyptus gunnii | 200 to 500 cm | white | September to December | evergreen, hardy down to -12 degrees Celsius |
| Cut Garlic | Allium tuberosum | 10 to 50 cm | white umbels | August to September | intense scent of flowers and leaves |
| Student flower | Tagetes | 20 to 50 cm | orange-brown to yellow | June to October | not hardy |
| Flower Sage | Salvia nemorosa | 30 to 40 cm | pink to purple | June to September | full sunny location is advantageous |
| Castor bean plant | Ricinus communis | 100 to 500 cm | red grapes | June to October | Poisonous Plant of the Year 2018 |
| Peppermint | Mentha x piperita | 50 to 100 cm | purple, pink and white mock ears | June to September | hardy and perennial |
From an unexpected side, a useful plant rounds off the list of mosquito-repellent plants. Tomatoes have proven to be a powerful support in the fight against mosquitoes. Cherry tomatoes and other small varieties are ideal for cultivation as balcony tomatoes. As a positive side effect, approaching mosquitoes immediately turn back when the scent of the plant hits their noses.
Tip
Lavender and garlic not only scare away annoying mosquitoes. The herb plants for the balcony and bed are also immune to aphids. Along with catnip and marigolds, they are one of the few plant species that are mostly spared from the omnipresent pests.
