MadSci Network: Botany
Query:

Re: Does a citronella plant repel mosquitoes

Date: Thu Sep 28 23:50:17 2000
Posted By: David Hershey, Faculty, Botany, NA
Area of science: Botany
ID: 969907562.Bt
Message:

Citronella is an oil from the leaves of citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus) 
and C. winterianus. Plants contain thousands of secondary products which are 
chemicals that often deter animals, including insects, from feeding on them. 
Therefore, it is logical that citronella oil may be an insect repellant because 
that is probably its function in the plant. The plant itself has no reason to 
repel mosquitoes because mosquitoes do not eat plants. Therefore, it appears a 
lucky coincidence for people that citronella oil repels mosquitoes.

It seems doubtful that the plant inself is as good a mosquito repellant as 
citronella oil in candles or applied to skin or clothing. The reason is that 
the plant has a waxy surface layer, the cuticle, that prevents the oil from 
evaporating. Aromatic plants generally have much less aroma than the aromatic 
chemicals extracted from them. You can try this for yourself with familiar 
plants such as onions, garlic, catnip, mints, etc. Crush a leaf and the smell 
is much stronger than from an intact leaf. Therefore, it is unlikely that a 
garden of citronella grass will protect you from mosquitoes more effectively 
than citronella oil in a candle or applied to your skin. It might make an 
interesting experiment. Native to Ceylon, C. nardus can be grown outdoors in 
south Florida and southern California.

Reference


About Citronella



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