Well, actually like many expectant parents I knew the gender beforehand, I just needed to witness it for confirmation. And no, it’s not a new baby Monroe, that ship has quite happily sailed….. it is a hop plant.

Humulus lupulus ‘Aurea’ , more commonly called Golden Hops, has been growing for a few years  up a series of connected trellises under a birch tree in my back yard in to block off the view of the composting area from the back garden. I got it as a teeny little division ( rhizome to be exact) from a my gardening pal Gayle. The hop plant is actually a bine, which is a plant that will climb by twining it stems around something,  unlike a vine which uses tendrils  or suckers to latch on and climb  (honeysuckle and bindweed are also bines) . Golden Hops will climb to maybe 16 feet or so and can get a bit unruly in a small area as the rhizomes will  multiply and spread out quickly underground. Although it is herbaceous and dies down to the ground every winter, it shoots out like a rocket in spring and can get very large and very  heavy in a single  season. The hairy stems can cause  dermatitis if in contact with the skin for prolonged periods, so all in all ,careful placement is a necessity, but if you have the space this plant is just stunning in the garden.

The deeply lobed leaves of golden hops  start out bright chartreuse and fade to a bright lime green. It is labeled as  preferring to grow in full sun to part shade, but as I said , mine is planted under a birch tree and much of the plant is in the full shade although as it grows into the tree it gets far more sun.

Getting back to the “girl” part, hop plants are dioecious, which means that  male and female flowers occur on separate plants . The male flowers are small and not very showy  but are necessary for pollination if you are looking for seeds to form. The female flowers (called “hops”)  are 1-2 inch  cones that are fragrant and quite showy, and as many of you may know , what we humans use to add aroma and flavor/bitterness to beer.

I like beer. I like plants, but you could not convince me to brew my own using hops I grew as I was present when Wil went through his “home-brewer” phase and the mess is only second to the horrific smell that permeates everything when you brew beer  in your kitchen. Anyway, the hops from this particular plant are purely ornamental and not used for brewing, and this year, my plant finally has them!

FYI most ornamental hop plants sold in your local  nursery are female  ,it is just , well, you never know for certain until the flowers erupt. Mine did, they are cones , they are lovely indeed , and my plants’ gender is confirmed!

When they ripen  in September they will turn yellow and I am going to take them  down off the tree limb they are currently hanging from so I can enjoy their pine like fragrance up close and personal.

 

 

 

 

 

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Just as a side note, the Humulus plant harkens from the plant family Cannabaceae.  Recognize any famous relatives?