The Buzz on the Citronella Scented Geranium

For all the perfect parts of summer, there are a few perennial summertime problems that follow us from childhood into our adult lives: to name a few, scoops of ice cream that fall off the cone, sticky humidity, and perhaps the worst… mosquitoes. 

While no perfect remedy can be assigned to address each of these minor plagues, finding ways to mitigate them is important. The ways? Well, for the ice cream: Opt for a sundae in a dish. For the humidity: Turn on a little A/C to dry out your rooms. And for the mosquitoes: Why not see what Pelargonium citrosum, the Citronella Scented Geranium, can do for you?

Scented Geraniums typically share their fragrance when their foliage is crushed. While a Citronella Scented Geranium won’t fill your patio with constant fragrance, this plant, in my opinion, far surpasses the citronella candles and lingering sprays that are often used to deter mosquitoes from becoming too pesky. These constant scents can be overpowering and headache-inducing, and I worry about how they are formulated. But the natural and periodic fragrance that comes from a scented plant… well, now that is something that is just right for me.

Citronella Scented Geranium is easy to care for and does well when taken indoors when the cold weather arrives. If you live anywhere other than a warm region, don’t leave it outdoors in fall and winter to waste away. Instead, use it as a houseplant in the colder months, and then get it back to its outdoor perch when the weather breaks. For indoor care, watch the level of water you are providing it, so as not to cause leaf yellowing (with too much water). Also, make sure it sits near a sunny window, as it likes long stretches of bright light.

For indoor placement, I think a sunny spot in a bathroom is nice. The plant’s fresh herbal scent might not be right for a living room or bedroom. In a kitchen, other scents seem more appropriate. But on a bathroom countertop, this plant falls into place beautifully.

Now in full disclosure, citronella scent is not something that makes me say, “Hey, I’d love this as a perfume.” But I love the scent’s mosquito-deterring nature in summer. I need it, in fact, as mosquitoes are more than just “pesky”. I have a neighbor who is concerned about the potential long-term effects (effects on overall health) of getting lots of mosquito bites over a lifetime, and so he periodically sprays his yard with what is deemed an all-natural mosquito deterrent of cinnamon and garlic oils. Taken separately, the scent of these oils would be okay… well, the scent of the cinnamon, at least. But taken together… without hesitation, I will take a Citronella Scented Geranium any day over this and other remedies.

If there is one disappointment with this plant, for me, it might be that it does not show off quite as many blooms as other Pelargonium plants do. In fact, I have had a Citronella Scented Geranium that did not bloom at all one summer. But its foliage is nicely decorated, with deep cuts that result in a lacy look. So, even if you don’t get bloom upon bloom in a given year, use Pelargonium citrosum as a foliage plant, crush its leaves periodically, and see what it can do to keep summertime’s unavoidable mosquitoes at bay.

I know this plant will not be a complete deterrent to these buzzing pests, but if you couple the use of your Citronella Scented Geranium with efforts to minimize standing water in your yard, then I think you will get some relief from the mosquitoes while enjoying an attractive plant. Less time spent worrying about mosquitoes will probably leave you a bit more time to think about exactly what will go into the ice cream sundae you will order next, and more time to dial in the perfect temperature on the thermostat for your A/C... in other words, more time to enjoy summer.