Is Lippia alba a mint?
PLANT OF THE WEEK: Bushy mint (Lippia alba) is a little known plant in the verbena family. Little known to us, anyway. In its native land it’s used to treat a variety of ailments. We just know its leaves make a delicious tea (one of our members adds a leaf or two of tilo and Aztec sweet herb). Lippia Alba, Oaxaca lemon verbena, or “Juanilama” as it’s known in Costa Rica has been medicinally used for thousands of years by indigenous peoples in Central/South America. It’s known for its digestive soothing effects as well as somatic, sedative, antidepressant, and analgesic properties.Lippia alba (Verbenaceae) possesses anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anesthetic, sedative, myorelaxant, analgesic, antipyretic, antiviral, cytostatic (inhibits cell growth and/or multiplication, being useful against neoplasms), and anticonvulsant properties (Pascual et al.
What smell do mosquitoes absolutely hate?
CITRONELLA This is likely the first thing that comes to mind when you think about mosquito repelling scents. Citronella oil, which comes from the lemongrass plant, is commonly used in commercial bug sprays and candles. Perhaps the most well-known mosquito repellent in Japan is the “mosquito coil. A mosquito coil is a special kind of incense that has been molded in the shape of a spiral. The incense traditionally contains dried pyrethrum (a type of chrysanthemum), as well as other natural ingredients.Natural scents like citronella, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, and garlic are effective in repelling mosquitoes. Scent-based repellents can be applied through candles, sprays, and diffusers, but effectiveness varies by environment and conditions.