European Hops Humulus lupulus
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- HUM-uh-lus lup-OO-lus
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
The Common Hop is a perennial, herbaceous, twining vine native to Europe. It has naturalized in North America and may persist up to 20 years. At the end of the growing season, this plant will die back, leaving its roots to form the next years' growth. The stems can to cut back once the plant has died.
Having male and female flowers on separate plants, this plant is dioecious. The female flowers are formed in clusters at the tips of the plants stalks, from the leaf axils and at the branch tips. Each 3/4" cluster can have 10 to 50 pairs of flowers, each enclosed by a green/yellow bract. They are blunt at their tips and have yellow glands at their base. Female flowers have no petals but do have 2" long styles.
Male flowers also form in clusters, however they differ from the female flowers. Male flowers form in clusters with up to 100+ flowers, each have 5 spreading sepals and 5 short stamens. The tips are dotted with yellow glands.
In order to produce seeds, both male and female plants are required. Flowers are wind pollinated.
The leaves are mostly opposite, palmately 3-7-veined and usually 3-lobed.
Fruits appear in an elongated cluster, each small, dry, and enclosed in a sac-like, papery bract. This vine is drought tolerant and needs good drainage.
It is grown commercially for its seeds, which are dried and used as a flavoring in the production of beer.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease issues. Contact with skin can cause dermatitis in some. A supporting structure such as a fence, wall, trellis or pergola is necessary to allow the plant to climb.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Aureum'
- 'Aureus'
Deeply lobed bright chartreuse foliage in spring.
- 'Aureum'
- 'Aureum', 'Aureus'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Aureum'
- 'Aureus'
Deeply lobed bright chartreuse foliage in spring.
- 'Aureum'
- 'Aureum', 'Aureus'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Humulus
- Species:
- lupulus
- Family:
- Cannabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Extract from the fruit bracts are used as a flavoring in the production of beer.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- US native, Europe to Siberia and N. Iran, Morocco
- Distribution:
- AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC. ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX. UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
- Wildlife Value:
- Butterflies are attracted to the flowers. Host plant for the Red Admiral and Question Mark.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Easy to Grow
- Fragrance
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
- Edibility:
- Fruiting cones used for brewing beer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Vine
- Habit/Form:
- Climbing
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Cone-like elongated cluster, each small, dry, enclosed in a sac-like, papery bract. They are used in making beer.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Male and female flowers bloom from mid-summer to fall. The small flowers are fragrant. Female flowers have thread like styles and no petals, while the male flower has 5 sepals and stamens. Flowers can have a hint of pine or citrus fragrance.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Margin:
- Lobed
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Mostly opposite, palmately 3-7-veined and lobed foliage. Leaves range from 1 to 6" long and wide. While the upper side of the leaves is hairless, the underside has soft hairs along the veins.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The Green stems are branched. Scattered hairs along the stem face downwards and are used by the plant to grab onto other vegetation or structures to climb.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Problem for Dogs
- Weedy
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. Skin irritation with blisters upon contact. Dogs: panting, high body temperature, seizures, death.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Volatile oils and bitter acids
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- Yes
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Leaves
