In your pursuit of a comfortable, pleasant living environment both indoors and outdoors exists an unlikely ally- bug-repelling plants. You may have noticed that bugs steer clear of certain plants and flock towards others.
Plants with this remarkable ability to repel bugs can be an invaluable addition to indoor and outdoor spaces. Regardless of whether it is the pesky mosquitoes, disgusting roaches, dirty houseflies, or destructive aphids, there’s the right plant to handle them.
Let’s explore the various plants that repel bugs from your outdoor and indoor spaces.
20 Plants That Repel Bugs
1. Lavender
The soothing, sweet fragrance of lavender is a treat to our senses, but bugs such as mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and moths cannot stand it. You can massively reduce these bugs’ presence by planting lavender around your home and garden.
Furthermore, its purple, beautiful blooms are a great addition to your home décor outdoors and indoors. Popular choices for indoor cultivation are English lavender and French lavender.
Hardiness zones: 5-9
Read More: Plants That Repel Mosquitoes
2. Mint
Similar to lavender, we love mint’s refreshing scent, but ants, mosquitoes, and flies hate it. Since mint can be invasive, growing them in pots is best to prevent them from spreading uncontrollably.
Indoors, place your mint plant near a window exposed to plenty of light but not direct sunlight. Also, plant them along garden borders, pathways, and around outdoor seating areas.
Hardiness zones: 3-11
3. Basil
In addition to being an incredible culinary herb, basil is a powerful bug repellent against insects like mosquitoes and flies. Basil’s effectiveness in repelling bugs increases when you crush the leaves.
You can grow basil outdoors, where it receives 6-8 hours of sunlight daily, or indoors near sunny windowsills or under grow lights. Plant basil alongside garden vegetables like tomatoes to deter pests.
Hardiness zones: 10-11
Read More: How To Get Rid Of Japanese Beetles
4. Citronella Grass
Citronella grass is by far the most popular mosquito-repelling plant. Citronella oil is renowned for its lemony scent, which bugs really dislike. Besides keeping mosquitoes at bay, this plant deters other bugs like flies.
If you grow citronella grass indoors, use a large pot because this plant has deep roots. Also, consider extracting citronella oil from the leaves and using it to make homemade insect-repellent sprays.
Hardiness zones: 9-11
5. Lemongrass
Lemongrass is another worthy bug-repelling plant closely related to citronella, and it shares its insect-repellent properties as it contains citronella oil. Use it to deter insects, especially mosquitoes and flies.
Aside from its insect-deterring properties, lemongrass is aesthetically appealing. This plant features tall, slender stalks with grass-like leaves that exhibit a tropical and ornamental feel. Lemongrass also doubles as a culinary herb, particularly popular in Asian cuisines.
Hardiness zones: 10-11
6. Chrysanthemums
Thanks to the pyrethrin in its flowers, chrysanthemums are a powerful pest repellant. The stunning flowers can be your ally against a wide range of insects, including mosquitoes, spider mites, ants, roaches, bed bugs, and flies.
Moreover, their showy, colorful blooms will add beauty and elegance to your garden beds, borders, containers, and floral arrangements. Grow chrysanthemums on borders or in large containers on patios, decks, and balconies. Bring them indoors as well.
Hardiness zones: 5-9
7. Rosemary
Mosquitoes are known to turn away from the woody scent of rosemary. That’s not all; its bug-repelling properties do not end there. This herb also works against other insects, such as flies and aphids.
Rosemary contains compounds such as camphor, rosmarinic acid, and essential oils (including cineole and camphene) that naturally repel insects. You can successfully grow rosemary in garden beds, containers, and raised beds, as well as indoors in pots.
Hardiness zones: 8-10
8. Petunias
The pleasant scent of petunia flowers and foliage that we enjoy makes this flowering plant an excellent bug-repellent. Its natural repellent properties work against pests like aphids, leafhoppers, and tomato hornworms.
Even aphids and mosquitoes hate petunias. Grow petunias in window boxes, containers, garden beds, and hanging baskets. You will enjoy months of colorful flowers while keeping bugs out of your home.
Hardiness zones: 9-11
9. Lemon Balm
Keep aphids, flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and other bugs out of your home with lemon balm. While lemon balm effectively deters bugs, beware that it grows fast and can become invasive, so consider growing it in pots to control its growth.
Plant lemon balm near seating areas, patios, and outdoor dining areas. You can also grow it indoors, on doorways, or near windows to ensure bugs do not enter your house.
Hardiness zones: 3-7
10. Eucalyptus
You see, this wonderful plant secretes essential oils, including eucalyptol, and aromatic fragrances that are offputting to bugs like mosquitoes and flies. Plant eucalyptus outdoors strategically to unleash the bug-repelling perks as well as get some shade and windbreaking advantages.
Eucalyptus has attractive, evergreen foliage with pleasant textures and colors. Consider growing smaller eucalyptus species in containers indoors near windows and doorways.
Hardiness zones: 8-11
11. Nasturtiums
These cheerful flowering plants are more than just pretty garden plants. They are also lethal arsenals against pesky bugs, especially aphids, whiteflies, and squash bugs. In addition, they make valuable trap plants, luring bugs away from your prized plants.
For culinary purposes, harvest nasturtium flowers and young leaves to add a peppery flavor to salads, soups, and garnishes. Nasturtiums thrive in less fertile soils and evenly moist soil.
Hardiness zones: 9-11
12. Marigolds
Marigolds radiate warmth and cheer as they boast a sunny disposition and flamboyant blooms, which explains their popularity. However, there’s more: these plants are gardens’ superheroes as they effectively deter bugs.
Which bugs do marigolds deter, though? Well, its fragrance, which a lot of us deem unpleasant, is also repulsive to hornets, wasps, and mosquitoes. Plant your marigolds outdoors in sunny areas or near entrances or windows in pots.
Hardiness zones: 2-11
13. Alliums
If you cut or bruise the leaves of alliums, they emit a strong scent that deters mosquitoes and aphids. Also, alliums, like garlic and onions, contain sulfur-containing compounds that can be toxic to insects in high concentrations.
Alliums are easy to grow; just remember they love well-drained soil and sunlight. However, don’t be too generous with water because these plants don’t do well with wet feet.
Hardiness zones: 3-8
14. Catnip
Give your cat a slice of paradise and deter mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, and ants as well by growing catnip indoors or outdoors. Catnip’s secret to repelling bugs lies in its nepetalactone, which insects don’t favor.
Studies show that catnip’s effectiveness in repelling insects matches that of DEET. Grow catnip in your garden or pots in full sunlight, but a little shade is okay, too.
Hardiness zones: 3-7
15. Pennyroyal
This aromatic herb contains pulegone, a potent compound that repels bugs like mosquitoes, fleas, and ants. Pennyroyal also produces highly aromatic foliage with a mint-like fragrance that repels insects and adds a pleasant aroma to gardens, patios, and outdoor spaces.
Planting pennyroyal around patios, decks, and outdoor seating areas will make these places less susceptible to bugs.
Hardiness zones: 6-9
16. Bay Laurel
When bugs come into contact with bay laurel leaves or their oil, compounds like eucalyptol, cineole, and lauric acid disrupt the nervous systems of bugs, deterring them from staying in the area. Bay laurel’s strong, aromatic scent is unpleasant to many insects, including mosquitoes, moths, and cockroaches.
Plant bay laurel near entry points, garden beds, borders, containers, or indoors.
Hardiness zones: 8-10
17. Sage
This perennial herb contains essential oils such as camphor, cineole, and thujone, which effectively repel various bugs, including mosquitoes, cabbage moths, carrot flies, and ants. Plant sage around outdoor seating areas to repel flying insects.
Toss some sage leaves in your firepit as well. In addition, deter ants from entry points, windowsills, and doorways with fresh or dried sage leaves.
Hardiness zones: 4-10
18. Tansy
Ants, mosquitoes, ticks, moths, flies, and even fleas will keep off your home if you plant tansy. This flowering plant is an effective bug deterrent owing to its strong scent and natural compounds.
Tansy is also an attractive decoration plant because of its bright yellow flowers and feathery foliage. You can dry tansy leaves and flowers and use them to repel insects indoors.
Hardiness zones: 3-8
19. Floss Flower
Floss flowers are a source of color and cheer to gardens due to their profusion of small, fluffy blue, pink, or white flower clusters. In addition, they are formidable soldiers against bugs. This plant contains coumarin, often found in commercial insecticides- mosquitoes can’t stand coumarin’s scent.
This vibrant annual plant is toxic to dogs and cats. Therefore, grow a different plant if you have pets.
Hardiness zones: 2-11
20. Scented Geraniums
An excellent container plant, scented geranium repels wasps, mosquitoes, and fleas because of the potent scent emitted by the oil glands located in its leaves. This flowering plant also helps keep rodents and deer away.
You can plant scented geraniums in your garden or pots near windows, doorways, and living areas.
Hardiness zones: 3-9
Final Remarks
The plants in this guide offer an effective, natural, and eco-friendly solution to your bug problem. By wisely choosing and strategically placing and caring for them, you can enjoy a bug-free home while enhancing the beauty and fragrance of your surroundings. Convenient placement locations include where bugs are likely to enter your home or congregate outdoors.
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I’m Mike Hyle, an exterminator with 7+ years of experience handling all sorts of pests, including mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, and termites. I also write for Pest Solutions DIY blog to share my knowledge and help homeowners keep their homes pest-free. Outside work, I enjoy hunting, snowshoeing, and exploring nature. Check out my blog for helpful pest control tips!