Dodonaea

dodonaea

( doh - doh - NEE - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Also called Hopbush or Hopseed Bush, this genus of evergreen shrubs hails from Australia and requires full sun to light shade and little to regular water to perform well. These are very hardy shrubs, tolerant to heat, drought, poor soil and high winds. Flowers are insignificant, but the three-winged seedpods that follow are long-lasting and attractive. These shrubs are popular with birds. Use Hopseed Bush as a specimen, to create borders or hedges, or in Mediterranean or coastal gardens as a windbreak or background shrub.

dodonaea Species and Varietals

The genus Dodonaea includes 70 separate species, and is a member of the Soapberry family (Sapindaceae). The genus is named for Flemish physician and botanist, Rembert Dodoens. The common name Hopbush comes from the fact that the shrub was used by European settlers in Australia as a substitute for hops to flavor beer. Growing zones for Dodonaea vary by species; for more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Dodonaea boroniifolia (Fern-Leaf Hop Bush, Hairy Hop-Bush)
This species is native to eastern Australia, and forms a spreading to erect shrub with woody stems to between 6 and 14 feet tall at maturity. Leaves are tiny and similar to those of plants in the genus Boronia, and flowers are yellow to reddish. This species grows well in USDA hardiness zones 9a-11b.

Dodonaea hackettiana (Hackett's Hopbush)
This species, endemic to southwestern Australia, grows well in USDA hardiness zones 8-11. It forms an erect shrub or small tree with simple, elliptic leaves. Flowers form towards the ends of branches, and are followed by light-colored seed capsules. This species is named for J.W. Hackett, chairman of the Kings Park Board of Western Australia.

Dodonaea lobulata (Bead Hopbush, Lobed Hop-Bush)
This species of Hop Bush is endemic to southern Australia, and forms an erect, spreading shrub to 2-10 feet tall when mature. Flowers are insignificant, and maroon-colored seed pods that follow are numerous and showy. Bead Hopbush is suited for USDA hardiness zones 9-11.

Dodonaea microzyga (Brilliant Hopbush, Red Wing Hopbush)
Grows best in USDA hardiness zones 9a-11b or Sunset growing zones 8, 9, and 12-24. It is a spreading shrub with divided, green leaves that gets to be 3-10 feet tall and a little bit wider, with showy red fruits. Brilliant Hopbush is endemic to Australia.

Dodonaea procumbens (Trailing Hopbush, Creeping Hop Bush)
This species of Dodonaea is native to eastern Australia, and is considered vulnerable to extinction due to urban development, grazing, and competition with invasive species. Individual plants reach up to about 4 feet tall and have a low, spreading habit. Branches are dense and often sprout roots, and flowers are in bloom from November through February in the plant's native range. Trailing Hopbush grows well in USDA hardiness zones 8-11.

Dodonaea viscosa (Florida Hopbush, 'A'ali'i, Native Hops, Varnish Leaf)
Grows best in USDA hardiness zones 8-11 or Sunset growing zones 7-24, H1 and H2. Native to Arizona and Hawaii, Green leaves and inconspicuous flowers cover this shrub in the spring or summer, with red, pink, tan, yellow, or green seedpods following blooms. In Hawai'i, the seed capsules are used in leis. Varieties include 'Purpurea' (also called Purple Hop Bush, has bronze-tinted foliage which darkens in winter, and seedlings vary greatly in color) and 'Saratoga' (uniformly deep purple foliage).

Caring for Dodonaea

Plant Dodonaea shrubs in a space in the landscape that receives full sun to light shade; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. In warmer zones, make sure they get some late afternoon shade when temperatures are at their peak. Cultivars with purple foliage will exhibit more brilliant color the more sun they get. These shrubs can tolerate seas spray, wind, and a wide range of soils (including rocky and sandy). For specimens, space 6-8 feet apart; formal hedge plants can be spaced 3-4 feet apart, and screening or privacy hedge plants should be planted 5-6 feet apart. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 5.5 and 8.5 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention.

Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these shrubs are considered highly drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone for much of the year with supplemental irrigation during extended periods of drought. Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Protect these shrubs from freezing temperatures. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up the appearance of plants and encourage reblooms. Hop Bush shrubs are both fast-growing and long-lived in the garden, surviving for 20-40 years before needing to be replaced if cared for properly.

Propagation

Dodonaea can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. This may also guarantee that If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Dodonaea by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Dodonaea by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Dodonaea plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large, winged, reddish and dangle from the branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In the middle of summertime, water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 1-2 months from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Dodonaea seed pods.

Dodonaea seeds.

Problems and Pests

Hop Bush shrubs are generally pest and disease-free. For information on commonly encountered pests and diseases in the home garden, including how to treat and prevent them, consult the following pages:

Pests & Pest Management

Plant Issues