Leaf
Matt Lavin, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 2.0
Common hop
Humulus lupulus L.
Also known as: Hop, Hops
Family: Cannabaceae
twining climber 3 to 6 m long
Damp hedges, riverbanks
Flowering: July – August
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its green, resinous cones have been used to flavour beer for centuries.
🍃 Leaves
Palmate, 3 to 5 toothed lobes, rough to the touch, opposite
🌸 Flowers
Male flowers in small panicles, female flowers in green cones
🍎 Fruits
Scaly, green, aromatic cones (used in brewing)
🪵 Bark
Long twining stems climbing by winding clockwise
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia; common in hedges and riverside woodland throughout France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Dioecious, wind-pollinated species, of little use to foraging insects, but its foliage shelters many insects.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted to cover pergolas and fences; female cones (hops) harvested for beer.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Cones very toxic to dogs (and potentially cats): can trigger malignant hyperthermia, sometimes fatal within a few hours, even though the cones themselves are used in brewing without risk to humans; contact with the rough stems irritates the skin.
🌱 Known cultivars
'Aureus'
The cultivar 'Aureus', known as golden hop, is recognised by its bright yellow to golden foliage, quite different from the bright green of the wild species.
🌿 Other Cannabaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.
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