CITRONELLA

CITRONELLA

MOSQUITOE PLANT

Mosquitoes are a pest and we try to find ways to keep mosquitoes

away. Some folk depend on the citronella plant planted next to or

in your patio. Does it work? Test show it does not repel mosquitoes,

it seems to gather them and they enjoy sitting in or on the plant.

Research teaches us the citronella plant does not produce citronella

oil. Citronella plant, aka pelargonium citrosa , aka geranium, is not

even related to the true citronella. It is a geranium, aka pelargonium,

but sort of smells like citronella and has aromatic chemicals so to speak.

Citronella oil is extracted from lemongrass, aka cymbopgon, a prennial

which grows six feet high and is not frost hardy.

Citronella oil is a registered insect repellant in America but in Europe it

is banned as a repellant.

Even if it did work, it would need to be applied every half an hour.

Eggshells, decomposed three years, are your best bet for mosquito

repellant.

ABSTRACT: September 13, 2018, by Harrison H, from Garden

Myths, Citronella Plant Keeps Mosquitoes Away, by Robert

Pavlis, 18 July 2013.