You might not want to plant this in your garden, as it can be invasive, but I can see a few pots on the patio filled with Sweet Grass (Hierochloe odorata).
A team of American chemists say they have identified compounds in Sweet Grass that keep mosquitoes and other biting insects away. The scientists report that native Americans have long used the grass in their homes to ward off insects. They made loops from strands of grass which they used as necklaces, or they hung the grass from satchels inside. Charles Cantrell, Ph.D., who was part of team, says the plant "gives off a sweet aroma that repels mosquitoes."
The scientists distilled an essential oil from the plant, tested it against mosquitoes, and they say it matches the repellent potency of DEET. Their research was reported at a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society.
Sweet Grass is available from Prairie Moon Nursery, and its natural habitat is wetlands, prairies and savannas from Greenland to Alaska, east and south to New Jersey. It gets two feet high, blooms May to July, and is hardy in zones 3-7. Sounds like a winner for the deck or patio.
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