Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden - Richmond, Virginia, USA

Common name: common hop

Family: Cannabaceae (hemp)

Life form: Vine

Description: Humulus lupulus, commonly known as common hop, is a dioecious, rhizomatous, twining perennial vine that is grown commercially for harvest of female fruits which are used by breweries to preserve and flavor beer. It is also an easy-to-grow ornamental plant that can be grown on a variety of support structures. This vine is native to Europe, southwestern Asia and North America. Hops grown commercially in the U.S. are the European variety which has now escaped cultivation and naturalized in many areas. Common hop grows rapidly each year to 15-20' long on rough stems clad with lobed leaves. Yellow-green male flowers bloom in catkins. Female flowers and subsequent seeds are born in cone-like structures (strobiles) which mature in late summer to early fall. Strobiles are typically collected in September-October with the seeds dried for use in the manufacture of beer. Flowers emit a pine-like fragrance and are attractive to butterflies.
Genus name comes from a Medieval name of the hop plant that has apparently bee