Mosquito Repellent Bushes

Mosquitoes decrease the enjoyment of backyards by stinging people and animals. Some plants give off odors associated with repelling mosquitoes. As would be expected these are the more aromatic plants and shrubs. Simply planting these bushes in the yard will not repel mosquitoes. Releasing the essential oils of the plant, by rubbing or crushing the leaves, may provide a repellent benefit, according to Iowa State University.

Cedar is known for its aromatic wood but the aroma of the plants are also believed to repel mosquitoes, according to the website of Alderleaf Wilderness College. Cedar oil is used in some home mosquito repellent as well as shampoos. Cedar mulch is also considered a natural insect repellent in the garden. The essential cedar oils are released by rubbing or crushing the cedar needles. Various species of cedar grow in either shrub or tree form and are hardy to various parts of the United States.

Wormwood, sometimes called mugwort, is an invasive weed common to the drier environments of the Midwest and western United States. Wormwood grows into a shrubby plant each year. The leaves and branches are burned in mosquito repelling smudges or crushed and applied directly to the skin. The plants have a grayish silver color and a noticeable aroma.

Snowbrush, also called snow bush, tobacco-brush and buckbush, is a member of the buckthorn family and native to the western United States. The plant is commonly found at elevations of 3,500 feet above sea level. It grows in a wide variety of conditions from dry to moist and from sun to shade although it prefers dry and rocky conditions. Snowbrush yields white flowers in late spring to early summer each year. The evergreen shrub can grow as tall as 12 feet. Like wormwood it is considered a weed in most areas of its growing range.