Humulus

( HEW - mew - luss )

At-A-Glance Information

Known commonly as Hop Vine, this genus of perennial bines needs full sun and regular water to produce good harvests. This vine is covered in large leaves and grows quickly to reach 20 to 30 feet long. Vines are cut to the ground in wintertime to make room for the next year's growth. In late summer, male plants produce panicles and female plants produce flowers resembling small pinecones. Grow these bines against fences or walls, in containers, as groundcover, or cultivate them for their flavorful flowers.

Humulus Species and Varietals

The genus Humulus is a member of the plant family Cannabaceae, and includes 7 distinct species. Hop Vine grows best in USDA hardiness zones 4-9 or Sunset growing zones A2, A3, 1-10 and 14-21. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Humulus japonicus (Humulus scandens) (Common Hop, Japanese Hop, Lü Cao, 葎草, Kanamugura, カナムグラ)
It is native to many temperate regions in the northern hemisphere. Female flowers have a piney scent and are traditionally used to flavor beers. Leaves are bright green. The tender top shoots can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. These plants will attract butterflies to the garden. Plants sold in nurseries are commonly female. Plant bare roots, thicker end up, in rich soil just below the surface in early springtime. Cultivars include 'Lutescens', which has golden-green foliage, and 'Variegatus', the most common ornamental cultivar with dark green leaves heavily mottled and splashed with white and cream. This species is considered highly invasive across the northeastern and midwestern United States, southeastern Canada, and regions of the European Union.

Humulus lupulus (Common Hop, Hops)
This vine is commonly used in the beer brewing industry, and reaches up to 33 feet tall when mature. Plants can live and produce for up to 20 years, and have green, deeply lobed leaves. Flowers are fragrant, with an aroma that is herbal, spicy, and sweet, with pronounced earthy undertones. They are wind-pollinated. Cultivar 'Aureus' is an ornamental that produces golden-green foliage.

Caring for Humulus

Before planting, make sure that there is a sturdy support structure nearby that the plant can climb on such as a fence, pergola, or wall. Alternatively, these bines can be used as groundcover plants. Plant these vines in full sun to partial shade; between 6 and 8 hours of sun is recommended for best flowering and harvest results. Hops prefer soil that is well-draining and moderately fertile with a pH of between 6.0 to 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are compacted, do not drain well, or are particularly poor in nutrients, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic matter or compost before installing. Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant after installation, ensuring that mulch stays at least a few inches away from the stems. This will increase soil moisture retention, suppress weed growth, and maintain a constant soil temperature. Keep the soil moist while plants establish a strong root system; mature plants are considered somewhat drought-tolerant, but they do appreciate consistent moisture during the growth and flowering season.

Fertilize yearly in springtime with a thick application of organic compost to support growth and flowering for the year. Make sure to remove mulch around the base of the plant before applying the compost, and then replace the mulch after working the compost into the soil. Cut down plants in fall to between 1 and 2 feet of the stem, and then mulch over the base of the plant to insulate the crown and roots over the winter months. They will regrow in springtime when the weather warms again. Humulus lupulus bines are hardy herbaceous perennials and can survive in the landscape for between 12 and 25 years on average. They take about three years to reach maturity. Humulus japonicus bines, however, are annuals, and are typically pulled and composted at the end of the growing season or left in place to enrich the soil.

Harvesting Humulus
Perennial Humulus bines take about three years to reach maturity, begin bearing in year 4 or 5, and decrease in productivity after age 15, surviving in the landscape for an average of 25 years. Bines are harvested in late summertime, typically between the middle of August and September, when cones have matured from green to light brown and feel dry, papery, and springy to the touch. Ripe cones are highly aromatic and contain a sticky, yellow powder at their base called Lupulin, which gives the hops their fragrance and bittering properties. Most growers will cut the entire bine down at harvesting time, bringing the plant down to just about 2-3 feet from the ground. The bines are then cut into manageable-sized pieces and hops are hand-picked from them. A mature plant can produce 1-2 pounds of fresh, wet cones. Spread them out on a mesh screen and place in a dark, well-ventilated area. They are properly dried when the interior stem snaps easily, which typically takes between 2 and 3 days.

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Propagation

The best way to propagate Hops is via stem cuttings. To propagate your Hops plant via stem cuttings, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Humulus 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. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
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 plant.

Problems and Pests

Certain species are considered invasive in some regions; see the species descriptions above for more information. Check with local authorities before planting. These plants can suffer from the following pests and diseases from time to time: