Humulus lupulus HOPS - Hop

The HOPS Hop, a true brewing hop, is a productive female selection whose remarkably aromatic fruits are used in the production of the finest beers. It is also an extraordinary garden plant, a climbing perennial with lush foliage and fragrant flowers that grows very quickly. Its very bright green vegetation will quickly cover a fence, an unsightly wall or an old tree. The hop emerges from the ground every spring and disappears during the winter. A great gift idea for beer enthusiasts and gardeners!

The hop, in Latin Humulus lupulus, is a climber belonging to the Cannabaceae family, which also includes hackberries (Celtis) and hemp. Widely distributed and naturalised around the world, including in Europe, the origin of wild hops is not known with certainty. Indeed, this plant has been cultivated for a long time for the production of beer, to which it generally imparts many aromas. Some provide aromas of passion fruit, and mango, while others provide minty, peppery, floral aromas. The possibilities are wide and varied. Hops are also dioecious plants: in summer, it is the female plants that produce highly fragrant flower spikes, and then typical "cones" in autumn, used for beer. These decorative green, golden yellow and then brown cones are also very beautiful in dry bouquets. The deeply lobed leaves with large teeth are also truly ornamental. They are bright green in colour and turn a chestnut brown in autumn. The rough, twining stems are edible when young, similar to asparagus. By spontaneously wrapping around whatever is within reach, they allow the plant to cling and climb easily on neighbouring plants.

The HOPS hop has been carefully selected for its aroma and yield. The plant starts flowering in July. It will delight both gardeners and beer enthusiasts! Under good conditions, its long stems can reach 6 metres in length.

Very hardy, hops thrive in good, loose and rich garden soils. This vine can quickly cover large areas and can take up a lot of space. Therefore, it should be given enough space for its development, or be allowed to climb whatever is nearby… However, its herbaceous nature and lack of climbing roots make it a safe plant for the buildings it grows on. It is excellent for quickly covering an old wall, a withering or uninteresting tree, or even a fence. Combine hops with other forces of nature, such as Clematis montana 'Tetrarose', Actinidia kolomikta with its beautiful variegated leaves, Akebia quinata, the woodbine honeysuckle or even Clematis vitalba (a particularly vigorous clematis). With these woody, generous and wild neighbours, it will create a wonderful, ever-changing, rustic and useful habitat for the small fauna of the garden!