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I just purchased a home with a great big bag yard with a connecting courtyard, which is so rare in a city like Houston, TX. I've consulted most mosquito control websites which usually recommend prevention in the form of getting rid of standing water and keeping the grass and weeds under control. I'm still identifying my plants to see which ones encourage mosquito habitat and such.

Now to the meat of my question.

I have one water feature which is directly across my porch. Its a small fountain with a pump to pull water from the lower basin to the smaller top basin to make the water flow down. The birds love it, so I'm hoping that will contribute to keeping the pests down. I'm also thinking about planting chrysanthemum around the fountain to help with the mosquito issue.

I thought of the idea when I saw an add for mosquito spraying which contained Pyrethrum. Research showed that it came from chrysanthemums. So why not just plant chrysanthemums? The thing is I don't understand how just planting the chrysanthemums will help at all? Its not like mosquitoes eat them.

ton.yeung
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1 Answers1

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No, we live in a wet area, and we also plant chrysanthemums. They will not keep the mosquitoes away, or even help. Not just any plants from the genus Chrysanthemum will do. People derive the insecticide 'pyrethrin' from Chrysanthemum Cinerariifolium, which isn't the common garden chrysanthemum, and Chrysanthemum Coccineum, or painted daisy. Even planting one of these won't keep away the mosquitoes, much less planting one of the more common button chrysanthemums for fall decoration.

For more information on mosquito control, see:

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J. Musser
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