9 Plants That Help Deter Wasps Naturally

A wasp problem hardly ever starts with a big swarm. It starts with one or two scouts circling the patio table, poking around the eaves, or hanging over the trash can like they pay rent. If they find easy food, water or a sheltered corner, more of them show up.

Plants can help, as long as they're one part of a common-sense setup. I think of them as a little friction that makes your yard less appealing. They won't make wasps vanish. If you go in expecting that, here's how I'd use the best plants to deter wasps naturally in a Southern California yard so the patio is actually usable again.

What plants can (and can’t) do for wasps

Wasps find their way around by scent and sight, and a lot of species go for sugar, protein and water. Strong-smelling plants can make certain spots less inviting, especially around seating, doors and outdoor eating areas.

What a plant can't do is beat a great nesting spot. If a queen finds a protected cavity in a wall void, soffit, shed or thick hedge, a ring of herbs nearby won't stop her. Some of the plants that put wasps off also draw bees and other pollinators. That's good for the environment, and it means more insects in the yard doesn't automatically mean more wasps. What you're after is keeping wasps away from the spots where people hang out while leaving room for beneficial pollinators.

Best plants to deter wasps naturally (and how to use them)

Put the strong-smelling plants where you want wasps to stay away: patio edges, gates and doors, outdoor dining spots, and near the trash and recycling (without blocking the cans).

Mint (peppermint and spearmint)

Mint is one of the more dependable scent plants people use, because it's very aromatic, especially when you brush past it or crush a leaf. Grow it in pots, not in the ground. Mint spreads hard in Southern California and will take over a bed.

Set the pots near seating and along the path from the house to the grill or the outdoor table. For a stronger hit of scent, bruise a few leaves before people come over.

Basil

Basil has a strong, sweet and spicy smell that can make an outdoor eating area less interesting to wasps. It's practical too. You'll actually cook with it, so it won't turn into a forgotten corner of the yard.

Basil wants regular water and sun, but in the hotter inland areas it likes some shade in the afternoon. Keep it close to where food gets served, by the patio or outdoor kitchen, since that's where you most want wasps to lose interest.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a Southern California workhorse. It takes the heat, handles drought once it's established, and gives off a resiny smell that a lot of pests don't like. Rosemary won't fix a nest by itself, but it's a good border plant along patios and walkways.

One thing to watch: thick, woody rosemary can make sheltered pockets that insects like to check out. Keep it pruned so it doesn't form deep hidden spaces up against the eaves or walls.

Thyme

Thyme stays low, gives off its smell when it gets stepped on or warmed by the sun, and makes a good border. It works well along the edge of pavers or around a seating area where people brush against it anyway.

For a calmer patio, put thyme together with rosemary or sage. People notice the smell, and wasps are often put off by it.

Sage (common sage and other culinary sages)

Sage has a strong, earthy smell and grows well in a lot of California microclimates. It's handy in planters by doors or windows where you want steady scent without much upkeep.

It's easy to trim, too. A quick prune keeps it neat and keeps it from becoming a sheltered little nook by the foundation.

Lemongrass (often called “citronella plant”)

Most people buy citronella for mosquitoes, but lemongrass can also help make a spot smell less interesting to wasps. The smell is sharp and easy to notice, which is what you want by an outdoor table.

Lemongrass likes warmth and sun. In a windy patio corner the scent carries well, but put it in a heavy pot so it doesn't tip over.

Lavender

Lavender is a SoCal landscaping classic, and its smell can help keep some nuisance insects away. It also makes a clean-looking border along a walkway or a patio wall.

The trade-off is that lavender also draws a lot of beneficial pollinators, honey bees included. That's not a bad thing, it's part of a healthy yard. But if what you really want is no stinging insects at all around the pool or play area, plant the lavender farther away from those spots and keep the stronger herbs like mint and basil close in.

Marigolds

Marigolds have a distinct smell and can help along garden edges, especially near vegetable beds where wasps come hunting caterpillars and other prey. They're easy to swap out season to season, too.

They won't keep wasps away from the trash or a sugary drink, but they can help make a few corners of the yard less inviting.

Eucalyptus (with caution)

Eucalyptus has a strong smell you can't miss. Some homeowners like it as a bigger landscape tree where the scent carries.

The caution is practical. Eucalyptus is messy, and some species take a lot of upkeep or don't belong near buildings. If you're thinking about one, think hard about where it goes and what your conditions are, and don't count on it as your main fix. It's more background scent than a targeted deterrent.

Where to plant for the biggest impact

Where you put the plants matters more than which ones you pick. If wasps are bugging you at the patio table, rosemary by the driveway isn't going to help.

Start where people spend time: around the patio, the outdoor dining area, the grill, the pool gate, the front entry, and any path the kids or pets run along. Use pots for the heavy hitters (mint, basil, lemongrass) so you can move them around with the season and put the scent where you need it.

Then look at what's drawing the wasps in: trash cans, recycling, compost, fallen fruit, pet bowls outside and dripping spigots. You don't have to hide all that behind plants, but a few aromatic planters nearby can make wasps less comfortable hanging around.

Don’t accidentally invite wasps with what you plant

This part really depends on your yard. Wasps are hunters and scavengers, and they often show up for whatever your landscaping is feeding.

If you have fruit trees, pick up fallen fruit fast. Rotting fruit pulls wasps in hard in late summer. If you've got flowers everywhere, you'll see more insects in general, and sometimes the wasps are there hunting the other bugs around the blooms.

Keep an eye on thick shrubs up against the house, too. A dense, unpruned hedge under the eaves is great nesting shelter. You can have a nice, wildlife-friendly yard without hidden cavities right next to where people walk.

Plants work best when you remove the real attractants

If you want the plants to actually make a difference, add a few easy habits.

Keep trash lids shut tight, and rinse sticky cans and bottles before they go outside. Don't leave sugary drinks open outdoors, and don't let meat scraps sit around after you grill. Fix small leaks, and if wasps keep visiting, don't leave the pet's water bowl out all day.

If you only do one thing, give them less to find. Wasps keep coming back when there's something in it for them.

When a “wasp problem” is actually bees (and why that changes everything)

People call just about any flying insect that stings a “wasp,” but honey bees act very differently from yellowjackets or paper wasps. Bees mostly care about flowers and water, and they're important pollinators. Wasps are the ones hanging around food, trash and meat.

If you see a steady stream of insects going in and out of a wall, a roofline or a hole in a tree, that's an established nest, and plants won't do anything about it. The first step is to identify the insect, because if they're bees, there are humane options.

If you're in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside or San Bernardino counties and think you've got honey bees, call someone who does live removal so your household and the colony both come out of it okay. Eli the Bee Guy is my business. I do live bee removals and I seal up the entry points so the next colony has a harder time getting in. You can find more at https://elithebeeguy.com/.

A realistic “plant plan” for a calmer patio

If what you mainly want is fewer wasps hovering where people sit, put a small group of pots together instead of spreading plants all over the yard. A couple of mint pots at the edge of the patio, basil by the grill and lemongrass by the seating gives you a scent zone you'll notice.

Then keep that area clean and dry, especially in late summer when wasps get pushier about scavenging. You usually won't get to zero wasps, but you'll get fewer of them hanging around, and that's usually enough to make the yard comfortable again.

Use plants to steer the insects, and leave the rest of nature alone. With the yard in balance and the openings on your house sealed up, you can enjoy being outside again while the useful insects keep working at a safe distance.