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 on these shrubs, but the three-winged seedpods are long-lasting and attractive. The fruits will attract birds to your garden. Use Hopseed Bush as a specimen, to create borders or hedges, or in Mediterranean or coastal gardens as windbreaks or background shrubs.

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 microzyga (Brilliant Hopbush)
Grows best in 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.

Dodonaea viscosa (Florida Hopbush, 'A'ali'i)
Grows best in 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 and pruning Dodonaea shrubs

Plant your shrub in ground or in a container in spring or fall in full sun to light shade exposure in well-draining soil with a pH of between 6.1 and 8.5 (slightly acidic to alkaline). If you are growing a variety with purple foliage, the leaf color will be more brilliant the more sun the shrub receives. These plants can tolerate a wide range of soils, including rocky or sandy soils. They are also tolerant of sea spray and windy areas, making them great choices for coastal gardens. They are not tolerant of cooler temperatures and will suffer damage during freezes. Provide protection as necessary in your growing area. As these shrubs are getting established, provide water at least twice a week. When they are established, they are drought tolerant and do not need supplemental waterings. Pruning is not necessary on these shrubs except to remove dead or damaged branches. Feed once a month with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at half strength to encourage denser foliage.

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
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 on your propagated Abutilon, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. 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
  1. 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. 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. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

Hopseed shrubs are generally pest and disease-free.
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Gallery

Hopbush can be used as a screening plant for privacy.
These shrubs do well in low water-use garden areas.
The seed pods are showier than the flowers, and can be used in arrangements or other floral crafts.

Videos

All about Purple Hopseed Bush.
How to grow and care for Dodonaea.

Resources

Growing Hopbush in Your Garden
Dodonaea viscosa Propagation
Dodonaea viscosa (Florida Hopbush)
Purple Hop Bush 'Purpurea' (Dodonaea viscosa)
Wikipedia: Dodonaea viscosa
Wikipedia: Dodonaea
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 291, Dodonaea
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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