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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

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Sunday - January 18, 2009

From: North Miami Beach, FL
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives, Pests
Title: Mosquito repellant plant?
Answered by: Barbara Medford and Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Is there such a thing as mosquito repellent plants? If so, what are they?

ANSWER:

Your best bet for ridding your garden of mosquitoes is to consider one of their breeding requirements—availability of water in which to lay their eggs—and follow the recommendations for ridding your garden of mosquito breeding sites in About Mosquito Control from Miami-Dade County Public Works.

We found some websites that listed some mosquito repellent plants, and will give you their web addresses. We have no proof one way or the other that any of these work. Our impression is that usually they don't. And we saw no plants native to North America suggested, so they would not be in our Native Plant Database. 

Gomestic Gardening Five Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

Iowa State University Extension Horticulture and Home Pest News

World Village Mosquito Repellent Plants

 

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