Common hop is a native perennial, climbs up to 9m supports itself by twinning around other plants. Prefers sun or semi-shade. Magical powers on healing and sleep. Flowers and leaves are scented, dried flowering heads (female plants) used as a flavouring and preservative in beer. Young leaves can be added to salads or young leaves and shoots cooked and the flavour is said to be unique and delicious. A tea is made from the leaves and cones, dried hops are also added to sleep pillows. Sow Common Hop autumn onwards in a mix of coarse sand and compost, place in a cold frame or outdoors for the weather to break the seed dormancy, cover seed with coarse horticultural sand, transplant into pots and plant out early summer or the following spring. Germination of hop herb seeds is challenging, be patient and do not discard seed trays/pots as the seed can germinate the following year. Can be sown late winter if seed is stratified. Flowers are harvested in the autumn, young shoots harvested for culinary use in the spring.
Humulus lupulus