Five Mosquito-Repelling Plants to Keep Babies Safe
As parents, safety of babies is something that remains at the top of the priority. And when we talk about safety of babies Mosquito-Repelling is something that always keep on disturbing us. we invest much of our time and resources in caring our little angels. Since they have an under-developed immune system and a delicate skin, it is necessary to pay special attention to keep them safe from elements that can put them into harm. Mosquitoes are one of those notorious creatures that can do immense damage to your babies and hence they need to be kept at bay.
There are plenty of mosquito repellents and other alternatives those we can use to ward-off mosquitoes from our dwelling space, but at the same time we need to acknowledge the fact that most of these mosquito repellents contain hazardous chemicals like DEET, Picaridin and Alcohol which are harmful to the delicate and tender body of babies. Viewing the long-term consequences of these chemicals parents are now turning on to safe, effective, and eco-friendly mosquito repelling alternatives for babies that can help them ward off mosquitoes from their dwelling space.
What if, we can have herbs or plants that can ward-off mosquitoes from the dwelling space and by merely planting them in the garden we can ward-off mosquitoes? Isn’t it appealing? Yes it is, besides being convenient these are safe and eco-friendly alternatives with no harmful chemicals like DEET, Picaridin and Alcohol. Thus, this could be considered as one of the most effective and safe alternatives to protect babies from mosquito bites.
Some Mosquito-Repelling Plants that can keep Babies Safe
Citronella Plants: Cymbopogon nardus, also called as Citronella is a perennial aromatic plant from the Poaceae grass family that originates mostly in Eastern Africa – Sudan to S. Africa; E. Asia – India, Sri Lanka and some parts of Latin America. According to experts, it is the source of an essential oil known as “citronella oil” that is effective in preventing mosquitoes. Citronella oil is obtained from the stems and leaves of the plants and is widely used in cosmetic and flavouring industries across the globe. The oil of citronella plants functions by masking scents that help them find animals and human beings.
Catnip: The scientific name of Catnip is Nepeta cataria. It is a species of the genus Nepeta in the Lamiaceae family and originates in central Asia, Eastern Europe and some parts of China. These plants are perennial, short-lived, herbaceous plant that grows to be 50–100 cm (20–39 in) tall and wide, and can be grown even in the garden, backyard, and terrace. The extracted oil of these plants contains terpenoid nepetalactone, a kind of chemical that acts as a fly and mosquito repellent.
Peppermint: The scientific name of this plant is Mentha piperita which is native to the Middle East and Europe. It is a kind of herbaceous rhizomatous perennial plant that grows to be 30–90 cm (12–35 in) tall and thus we can plant it in the backyard or garden. What differentiate peppermint from other plants are its strong sweetish odour and a warm-pungent taste with a cooling aftertaste. These plants are also known to repel mosquitoes and thus could be one of the most important Mosquito-Repelling plants.
Garlic: The scientific name of Garlic is Allium sativum and is a close relative to the onion, both of which are widely known for their culinary benefits. Garlic is a bulbous plant that grows up to 1.2 m (4 ft) in height and is thus grown in terrace and garden. Garlic contains various sulphur-based chemicals like alliin, vinyldithiins, ajoene that are known to repel mosquitoes and bugs.
Lavender: The scientific name of Lavender is “Lavandula stoechas”. It is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae and is found abundantly in Europe, Eastern Africa and South-West Asia. Commercially, the plant is grown mainly for the production of essential oil of lavender. This has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, and can be used as a natural mosquito repellent.
In a nutshell, we can say is that Mosquito-Repelling Plants could be one of the most convenient and environment-friendly alternatives that parents can use to ward-off mosquitoes from their dwelling space.
