Believe it or not, Southern California native plants can prevent mosquitoes from hiding around your home -- and make your yard more fire resistant.

The good news is you don’t need a lot of money to make your landscape fire smart.

And you will find that a fire smart landscape can increase your property value and conserve water while beautifying your home.

Do fire wise or fire-resistant plants repel mosquitoes?

You may have heard certain plants may repel mosquitoes. In reality, the plant itself just isn't a very safe place for mosquitoes to beat the heat. Mosquitoes are cold-blooded (figuratively and literally), which means they are at risk when the weather is really hot or really cold. To stay cool from the Southern California heat, mosquitoes seek refuge in plants that can provide shade and humidity, such as ivy and dense hedges.

Fire-resistant plants in Southern California luckily do not provide mosquitoes a safe place to rest. 

What plants can be used against fires and mosquitoes?

While some plants are marketed and described as “firesafe” or “fire resistant”, all plants will burn under the right conditions, regardless of how they are classified. 

Some plants that are perfect for our region and deter mosquitoes are:

• Yarrow
• Fuschia flowered gooseberry
• Sage
• Beach strawberry
• Toyon

Check out this comprehensive list of plants to consider.

Can plants eliminate all mosquitoes?

Nature is woven into our concrete jungle in Southern California, which means mosquitoes will always be present. The next best defense is to make sure you wear repellent. 

Not sure which repellent works best? We have your answer here with our Repellent Guide.