Citronella Plant as Mosquito Repellent
Summertime! Ahhh…picnics, barbeques, outdoor sports……mosquitoes. There are many things you can purchase to help fend off those nasty, disease carrying insects. One of those items is Citronella Oil. Citronella Oil is produced from Citronella plants, one of which is a type of grass ( Cymbopogon nardus). There are also Citronella Geraniums or Scented Geraniums, of which the citronella type are also known as Mosquito Plants. Citronella grass is a coarse, clump-forming tropical grass that can grow 5-6 ft tall. The stems are cane-like and the leaves are grayish green and flat; about 3 ft long and about 1 in wide. It does not spread by runners, as some grasses do, but the clump increases in size as the plant matures. I did read somewhere that the grass can become quite invasive as it produces a large quantity of seeds, so you may want to check with you local nursery or county extension office prior to planting. This grass is closely rel...