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Is Your Yard a Mosquito Oasis?

View the pdf version here.

A collaboration with Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants

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Image by TPF Native Plant Garden Tour
Say goodbye to plants that attract mosquitoes, and hello to beautiful, bite-free California plants!

Step 1: Assess Your Yard

Are there cool, shady areas with dense plants?

Follow this step-by-step list to determine the environment you're working with.

Examples of  mosquito-attracting environments:​​​​​​

Many SoCal yards have non-native plants that grow densely with large leaves that provide resting places for mosquitoes to beat the heat
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Step 2: Choose Your Plants

Enjoy this curated list of plants that are great alternatives to popular non-native plants. These plants provide your home with the same modern appeal, and reduce the mosquitoes. 

Hedge: Lemonade Berry

Water Requirement: Low          Soil Type: Any

Specialty Features: Songbirds, Erosion Control

Flowering Months: March, April, May, February

 

Accent Shrub: Palmer’s Indian Mallow

Water Requirement: Low          Soil Type: Any

Specialty Features: Pollinators

Flowering Months: January, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, February

 

Ground Cover: Joyce Coulter Ceanothus

Water Requirement: Low          Soil Type: Any

Specialty Features: Aromatic, Butterflies, Songbirds, Erosion Control

Flowering Months: February, March, April

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Grasses: Deergrass

Water Requirement: Low          Soil Type: Any

Specialty Features: Butterflies, Songbirds, Erosion Control

Flowering Months: June, July, August, September

 

Accent Tree: Western Redbud

Water Requirement: Moderate          Soil Type: Any

Specialty Features: Butterflies, Pollinators, Erosion Control

Flowering Months: March, April, May

 

Step 3: Step Outside and Enjoy the Benefits

Now that you're no longer mosquito grub, see how else you've treated yourself!

 

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For more in-depth information, Theodore Payne's website is blooming with plant guides! 

 

 

Other California Native Plants to Consider

Images by Theodore Payne Foundation