About
A vigorous, twining, herbaceous climber to 6m tall with hairy, rough stems and toothed, three or five-lobed, yellowish-green leaves that turn golden-yellow in autumn. Greenish-yellow aromatic flower spikes become pendent clusters of papery, cone-shaped hops in autumn.
About the genus
Humulus are vigorous herbaceous climbers with rough, twining stems, deeply palmately-lobed leaves and small green flowers, male and female on separate plants
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectNorth-facing, South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeClimber Wall Shrub
HabitClimbing
FoliageDeciduous
Height4-8 metres
Spread1.5-2.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Coastal
FragranceFlower, Fruit
ToxicitySkin irritant/allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets if eaten (dogs) - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
CultivationGrow in full sun or partial shade in moist-well-drained soil, preferably in a deep, fertile neutral or alkaline loam. Provide supports such as twine, wires or trellis. Hops can be used for brewing; new spring shoots can be cooked and eaten
PruningRemove excess shoots if necessary; the hops can be harvested, or the bines can be cut for decorations, in early autumn; cut to ground level in autumn
PropagationPropagate by softwood cuttings, root cuttings, or division
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids and glasshouse red spider mite
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to downy mildews