As Florida enters peak mosquito season, University of Florida experts are setting the record straight on a common summertime belief: plants like citronella and lavender won’t keep mosquitoes away just by growing in your yard.

“Certain plants do contain mosquito-repelling compounds,” said Liah Continentino, a horticulture agent with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension in Monroe County. “But unless you’re extracting their oils and applying them like a spray, they’re not doing much just sitting in your garden.”

Plants such as mint, basil, and marigolds also contain oils that may deter mosquitoes, but UF experts say scientific support for passive protection — like citronella candles — is limited.

Instead, UF/IFAS recommends a layered approach to

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