# Citronella plants?



## Karen1611 (Dec 29, 2010)

Do bees like Citronella plants? The plant is designed to keep the mosquito away but how do the bees do around them?


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## Tazcan (Mar 25, 2012)

I have never seen bees on mine and they are suppose to repel insects


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Well citronella is a scent-leaved geranium. I don't think of Geraniums as great forage plants, though I'd have to look them up to be sure.


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## beekeeperlady (Mar 25, 2009)

Citronella comes from a grass, Cymbopogon nardus. This grass has lemon-scented, stiff leaves that reach 2 to 3 feet long. Cymbopogon nardus is used in the production of commercial citronella oil.


took what is below from a information page.. 

The "citronella plant" is a geranium plant marketed as "Pelargonium citrosum", but according to the American Botanical Council, " 'Pelargonium citrosum' is not a valid taxonomic designation."[1] "Pelargonium citrosum" is marketed as a mosquito plant, or citrosa geranium in stores in the United States and Canada, but research indicates Pelargonium citrosum is ineffective against Aedes aegypti mosquitos.[2] "Not only was the plant ineffective at protecting humans against Aedes mosquito bites, the mosquitoes were seen landing and resting on the citrosa plant on a regular basis."[1]

It is not related to true citronella. It contains some essential oil isolates that also occur in mosquito repellent plants. It is sold in this capacity .

It is claimed that P.citrosum may be a genetic bonding of the African geranium with genes from cymbopogon grass[1], but there is no scientific basis for this claim.

The citronella geranium is not to be confused with other mosquito plants, nor with the grass also known as citronella. Also, citronella oil does not come from P.citrosum.


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