Mosquito Repellent Plants

Ageratum

As summer fast approaches, I would like to suggest plants that will repel mosquitoes in your landscape and how to use these plants to enjoy the outdoors during summer. In addition to the plants that repel mosquitoes I would like to suggest additional, eco-friendly ways to keep mosquitoes from your outdoor living spaces. The picture on the left is Ageratum.

Some areas of the southeast have had drought busting rainstorms and even 

Basil

with the tremendous amounts of rainfall, these areas are still considered to be under drought conditions. With the severe amounts of rainfall that comes into an area, and the warmer temperatures of the season that is a sure sign the pesky mosquito is not far behind. The picture on the right is Basil.

The plants that I am suggesting will repel mosquitoes from your outdoor living space. There are a few suggestions when planning to use the plants mentioned to enhance the natural repelling abilities:

v Use the plants in containers around your patio, deck, or outdoor living space such as patio tables and chairs.

v Use the plants in containers or planted in the ground by your front door and your back door.

v Lemon Grass is the #1 recommended plant to grow in the landscape and in containers to use around your patio, deck or outdoor living spaces to repel mosquitoes during the summer.

v Before having outdoor activities brush the Lemon Grass to release more of its fragrance.

v Lemon Grass can be used in cooking.

Here are a few suggestions recommended to do in addition to using the recommended plants:

v Fix all outdoor facets that drip.

v Drain your birdbath twice a week and refill your birdbath.

v Turn your empty outside pots and containers upside down to prevent the containers from collecting water.

v Drain your plant saucers that collect water once a week, mosquitos lay their eggs in stagnant water.

v To reduce numerous other flying insects, including mosquitoes, plant marigolds in containers or in the landscape.

Cadaga Tree

There are additional benefits to adding mosquito-repelling plants to your landscape. A few of the benefits are that the mixture of plants listed can be used in addition to repelling mosquitoes, but also used as herbs in cooking, the trees listed will attract additional wildlife such as birds to the garden to give natural predators of mosquitoes a safe heaven, the majority of the plants are nectar and larval food plants for butterflies in your area, and the Silver Dollar Tree can be used in your fresh cut flower arrangements as greens. The picture on the left is Cadaga Tree.

Ageratum or Floss Flower: Ageratum houstonianum. Type: Annual. Height: 6-12”. Spacing: 6-8” apart. Light Requirement: Full sun to partial

shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant.

Basil: Ocimum basilicum. Type: Annual. Height: 2 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial 

Basil

shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, the leaves are used in cooking.

Cadaga Tree: Eucalyptus torelliana. Type: Tree. Height: To 80 feet. Spacing: 20-30 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden.

Catmint: Nepeta faassenii. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18 “

Catmint

apart. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, and your cats will love it. The picture on the right is Catmint.

Catnip: Nepeta cataria. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18 “ apart. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar plant, and your cats will love it.

Catnip

Citronella Grass: Cymbopogon nardus. Type: Perennial in USDA Zones 9 and 10, annual outside zone 9. Height: 5-6 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The oil from the plant is used in citronella candles. The picture on the left is Catnip.

Clove Tree: Syzygium aromaticum. Type: Tree. Height: 20-30 feet. Spacing: 25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The flower buds are the spice of commerce, and attracts

Clove Tree

wildlife to the garden.

Horsemint or Lemon Beebalm: Monarda citriodora. Type: Perennial. Height: 12-30”. Spacing: 12-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The flowers can be used in fresh cut arrangements, nectar plant for butterflies and hummingbirds.

Lavender: Lavandula angustifolia. Type: Perennial. Height: 18-24”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar plant for butterflies, flowers can be dried, in potpourris, and sachets.

Lemon Balm: Melissa officinalis. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: All leaves can be used in potpourris, flavor hot and iced teas, and used as a substitute for lemon peel in cooking.

Lemon Grass: Cymbopogon citrates. Type: Perennial to USDA zone 8, treat as an annual elsewhere. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in cooking.  

Lemon Grass

Lemon Scented Geranium: Pelargonium crispum. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar plant for butterflies, leaves are used in cooking, in potpourris, and sachets. The picture on the right is Clove Tree.

Lemon Verbena: Aloysia triphylla. Type: Perennial to USDA zone 8, treat as an annual elsewhere. Height: To 4 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The oil is used in perfumes; the leaves are used in flavoring teas and jellies. The picture on the right is Lemon Grass.

Mexican Marigold Mint: Tagetes lucida. Type: Perennial. Height: 24-30”. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Butterfly nectar and larval food plant, fresh flowers are used in salads, leaves are used as a substitute for French tarragon.  

Mexican Marigold Mint

Mindanao Gum Tree: Eucalyptus deglupta. Type: Tree. Height: To 225 feet. Spacing: 30 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden, fragrant leaves and colorful bark.

Mindanao Gum Tree

Pitcher Plant - Nepenthes alata. Type: Herbaceous perennial. Zones: 10-11. Height: To 14 feet, usually grown in a hanging basket. Spacing: N/A. Light: Partial shade to shade. Uses: Will attract and capture all types of pesky insects from your garden. The plant is available at local garden centers in hanging baskets and can be placed in tree limbs or placed on patio plant stands. The plant uses the insects it captures as fertilizer.

Pitcher Plant

Prostrate Rosemary: Salvia rosmarinus 'Prostrates'. Type: Perennial shrub or groundcover. Height: 12-18”. Spacing: 2

feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in lamb and fish dishes,

butterfly nectar plant, drought tolerant plant.

Prostrate Rosemary

Red-Flowering Gum Tree: Eucalyptus ficifolia. Type: Tree. Height: 25-30 feet. Spacing: 20-25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: After      establishment in the landscape the tree is very drought tolerant, the leaves are fragrant, attracts wildlife to the garden, very showy red flowers in spring and summer. 

Red-Flowering Gum Tree

Roman Wormwood: Artemisia pontica.
Type: Perennial. Height: 18-24”. Spacing: 12” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant, ground cover, beds, and containers.

Roman Wormwood

Rosemary: Salvia rosmarinus. Type: Perennial shrub. Height: 4 feet. Spacing: 3-5 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full 

Rosemary

sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: The leaves are used in lamb and fish dishes, drought tolerant plant, and butterfly nectar plant.

Silver Dollar Tree: Eucalyptus cinerea. Type: Tree. Height: To 20 feet. Spacing: 25 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun. Additional Uses: Attracts wildlife to the garden, the foliage is used in fresh cut flower arrangements as greens, and dried floral arrangements.

Silver Dollar Tree

Tansy: Tanacetum vulgare. Type: Perennial. Height: 3-4 feet. Spacing: 12-18” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to 

Tansy

partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar food plant for butterflies. The picture on the left is Prostrate Rosemary, and the picture on the right is Pitcher Plant.

Wormwood: Artemisia absinthium. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 18-24” apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant.

Wormwood: Artemisia 'Powis Castle'. Type: Perennial. Height: 2-3 feet. Spacing: 3 feet apart. Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade. Additional Uses: Nectar and larval food plant for butterflies, drought tolerant plant.

June is National Rose Month. Click on Hibiscus and More's Blogspot for more information on growing and caring for your roses.

All photographs and digital images are ©Cheryl Ann Meola 2009. All Rights Reserved.

©Cheryl Ann Meola 2009.

All photographs and digital images displayed in this article are for viewing purposes only and cannot be duplicated. Place your cursor over the picture for the plant name.

Butterfly Gardening

An Introduction to Butterfly Gardening

In recent years, the natural habitat of the butterfly has gradually diminished due to the rapid growth of modern cities and suburbs. In an effort to increase the butterfly population within suburbia, utilization of butterfly gardens by homeowners introduces a small haven for the butterfly within today’s cities. In addition, the garden provides the homeowner with endless entertainment; and the sights, sounds and fragrances of the garden offer the owner peace and contentment as well as a feast for the senses.

Attracting butterflies to your garden is an art. Nutrition for the butterflies, how to attract butterflies year-round, deterrents and preferences all must be taken into consideration. An abundance of nectar rich flowers, plenty of food source plants, rocks for sunning and a water source all need to be provided. The more nectar and food source plants that you plant, the more butterflies your garden will attract.

To bring numerous butterflies to your garden you need to plan for masses and clumps of color perennials and annuals. Both perennials and annuals should be planted, but perennials are more useful since they bloom year-round, thus attracting butterflies throughout the year. The blooming periods of the annuals should be staggered also in order to attract butterflies year-round. To attract numerous and different species of butterflies try to plant a selection of native and non-native plants to your garden.

Shade and wind are deterrents to butterflies and will repel them from the garden. To counteract this, provide a sunny location (they need to be able to warm their wings); and place the taller plants in back to create a windscreen. Butterflies are most active between 11 AM through 3 PM; thus, a location should be selected that will provide sun during this time period.

Flower shape is more important than flower color in regards to attracting butterflies to feed, and old-fashioned flowers that retain scent and nectar are the best for attracting the adults. Butterflies prefer single flowers with tubular shape and upright blooms for feeding, and they also prefer flowers with bright colors and a distinct scent, with red and yellow being their favored colors.

Aspects to consider when selecting your butterfly plants are: The favorite butterfly colors are warm colors: red, orange, yellow; the flowers should have a sweet odor and a platform to land-on. No butterfly garden is complete without these must have butterfly garden nectar (N) and food (F) plants: Achillea millefolium – Yarrow (F), Anethum graveolens – Dill (F), Asclepias curassavica – Scarlet Milkweed (N & F), Buddleia davidii – Butterfly Bush (N), Helianthus annuus – Sunflower (F), Heliotropium spp. – Heliotrope (N), Impatiens spp. (N) (red & orange colors), Lantana spp. – Lantana (N), Menta spp. – Mint (N & F), Monardella odoratissima – Mountain Mint (N & F), Penta spp. – Pentas (N), Petroselinum crispum – Parsley (F), Salvia spp. – Salvia (N), Stachytarpheta jamaicensis – Porterweed (N), Tagetes spp. – Marigolds (N & F), Tagetes lucida – Mexican Marigold Mint (N & F), Verbena spp. – Verbena (N), Zinnia spp. – Zinnias (N). These simple plants are the tried and true to butterfly gardening and will attract butterflies to your garden.

Planning the Garden

Survey the area of where you are planning to place the garden. The area should have full sun from 11 AM to 3 PM. Butterflies are most active during this time frame and you want to entice them to your garden. The plants can be purchased at local garden centers, Home Depot, and Lowe’s in your area, usually Home Depot and Lowe’s has a nice selection of butterfly garden plants. Plant the trees first, the shrubs second, the annuals and perennials last. The annuals and perennials are your main attractors for nectar and larval plants and will also act as filler plants too.

Gardening Tips and Guide Lines

• Position the plants three feet away from the foundation of the house by doing this will give the homeowner room for maintenance.

• Plant shrubs, annuals, and perennials in a zigzag arrangement °◦°◦°◦°◦°.

• Consult the recommendations for spacing requirements on the individual plant information tag.

• Odd numbers mimics nature, thus, always plant in odd numbers.

• Provide a mixture of spring, summer, and fall blooming species that are both annuals and perennials.

• Large-leaf shrubs and trees provide shelter and hiding places for the butterflies during rainstorms.

• Butterflies require rocks for sunning, and a water source. A terra cotta saucer can provide water and small rocks can be placed in the saucer for sunning.

• When planning your butterfly garden, butterflies are attracted to masses of color so group 7-11 plants together of the same color. Then group 7-11 plants that strongly contrast or compliment the color.

• The greater the variety of nectar plants and larval host (food plants) provided, the more variety of butterfly species will be attracted to your garden. After planting your butterfly garden and as the year’s progress you will see more and different varieties of butterflies. I designed my sister’s butterfly garden in Texas, and each year she reported more butterflies and different species of butterflies.

Did You Know Hibiscus Plants are a Nectar Plant for Butterflies? Click Here to Order Your Hibiscus Plants for Your Butterfly Garden.

Let Hibiscus and More Custom Design Your Butterfly Garden for Your USDA Planting Zone. Click Here to Order Your Custom Butterfly Garden Design.

Take Advantage of our 25% Off Coupon on all Orders $50.00 or More. Hurry the Coupon Expires June 30, 2009. Use Redemption Code: Newsletter at CheckOut.

All photographs and digital images are ©Cheryl Ann Meola. All Rights Reserved. All photographs and digital images displayed in this newsletter are for viewing purposes only and cannot be duplicated. Scroll over the picture to view the plant name and all pictures in the newsletter are for butterfly gardening.

April Gardening Calendar

April Gardening Calendar

Roses: Your roses should be trimmed between February 12 – 20, if your have not pruned your hybrid tea roses it is not to late to trim them now. For more information information on trimming, caring, and fertilizing your roses click on my blog.

Vegetable Gardening: Garden center retailers are still reporting skyrocketing sales for vegetable starts and seeds this year versus last year’s sales. Start planning and planting your vegetable garden now to reap the rewards of homegrown vegetables, if you are thinking about having a vegetable garden this year, today is the time to start. Vegetables can also, be planted in large containers or raised planter beds. Put on your gardening gloves and reap the rewards and benefits of a spring vegetable garden. For more information on vegetable gardening click on my blog.

Color Annuals: April is the month to start thinking about replacing your cool weather color annuals with spring and summer annuals. Here are a few of my favorites: Caladiums, Celosia, Coleus, Cosmos, Dahlberg Daisy, Dusty Miller, Gazania, Geranium, Gerbera Daisy, Ivy Geranium, Lantana, Marigolds, Mexican Sunflower, Moss Rose, Periwinkle, Petunia, Primrose, Purslane, Salvia, Snapdragons, Verbena, Wax Begonia, and Zinnia. All of the annuals mentioned can be planted in soil or in containers.

Bulbs: If you have spring bulbs that are still blooming you may want to enjoy a few of the flowers as fresh cuts indoors. On all perennial bulbs, let the foliage die back naturally, as the foliage dies the bulb transports the nutrients from the foliage to the bulb and will use the nutrients from the foliage and stores these nutrients to the bulb for next year’s growth and flowers. As the foliage dies, it may look untidy and displeasing. To alleviate this annoyance you can pull up the foliage in a bunch and then roll the foliage down as you would a paper bag, and then tie the rolled up foliage with a rubber band.

Shrubs: Trim your spring flowering shrubs after they finish blooming, and fertilize with the appropriate plant food.

Azaleas: Once your azaleas finish blooming trim back to shape. Azaleas bloom on last year’s growth so it is important to trim your Azaleas no later than the middle of June. Azalea’s set their blooms during the fall months and this is one reason to trim your Azaleas during the time frame that is provided. After pruning your Azaleas you need to fertilize them with an Azalea plant food and also add a new later of mulch. Instead of throwing your spent coffee or tea grounds away your Azaleas will benefit from sprinkling the grounds around your Azalea bushes.

Decorate Your Patio With Tropical Color: Now is the time to start thinking about spring-cleaning your patio and your patio furniture. After sprucing up your patio you may want to redecorate the patio for summer fun with Hand Crafted Cedar Planters from Hibiscus and More. Tropical color really knows how to beat the heat of summer and will bloom repeatedly through out the summer, and until first frost. Here are a few of my tropical color favorites: Allamanda, Bougainvillea, Copper Plant, Hibiscus, Mandevilla, Pentas, and Shrimp Plant. You may purchase your Hibiscus plants online at HibiscusAndMore.com. Take advantage of our 10% off spring coupon of orders $50.00 or more. Hurry the coupon expires June 30, 2009. Use redemption code: Newsletter at checkout. Visit my blog for more gardening information.

All photographs and digital images are ©Cheryl Ann Meola 2007. All Rights Reserved. All photographs and digital images displayed in this article are for viewing purposes only and cannot be duplicated.