Mosquito Plant

Q. I wonder if you might know whether the mosquito plant repels more than mosquitoes? I live in Florida and am in the process of building/planting a butterfly garden. It would be nice to have it mosquito free but if the plant repels butterflies as well I wouldn't want to plant it..

A. This is a genetically engineered geranium hybrid with a unique characteristic: it repels mosquitoes! It is easily grown as a potted patio plant and easily enjoyed for its attractive foliage and sweet lemony scent as well as for its mosquito repelling powers. It produces a leafy attractive foot-tall plant during its first season. No it does not inhibit the advances of butterflies.

It was created by a Dutch botanist who genetically incorporated traits of the Chinese citronella grass into a scented African geranium. The resulting cultivar still had the growth and habit of the geranium and its sweet lemony citronella scent long been used to deter mosquitoes. It is most effective as a repellent if a few leaves are crushed and rubbed on your skin. This releases the citronella. Like most geraniums the Mosquito Plant is normally potted and grown outdoors during the warm season (after last and before first frosts). During the colder seasons the plants can be wintered-over indoors. In the warmer southern zones they can be grown outdoors year-round where the plants can reach a mature size of 3-4' high and wide. New plants can be potted in a 4" pot. Or they can be grouped in a patio planter spaced 1' apart. Use a potting soil recommended for geraniums. Keep watered and occasionally feed with a soluble plant food. Mosquito Plants like full sun but do well in partial shade. In the fall you can move the plants indoors to enjoy as houseplants or winter them over with your other geraniums in a heated garage near a window or under grow lights. During the summer put potted plants on patio tables and near lounges to keep mosquitoes at bay.