Edible Parts: Leaves  Root  Shoots
Edible Uses: Drink  Rutin  Tea

Young shoots approximately 6–10 centimeters long are edible raw or cooked. Cooking is generally preferable because it softens the tissues, reduces excessive bitterness and produces a more refined vegetable. Shoots should be gathered while they are upright, tender and only recently emerged from the soil. Once they begin twining or producing expanded leaves, their fibers become increasingly strong. The tender tips can be steamed, boiled or sautéed. Their flavor is aromatic and green, often compared with asparagus, young nettles, green beans or mild bitter greens. A light resinous bitterness distinguishes them from conventional vegetables. The female cones are used primarily to flavor beer and other liquids. University of Minnesota Extension identifies fresh or dried hop cones as edible flowers used in brewing. They should be understood as a culinary herb or bittering agent rather than as food eaten in quantity. Hop cones can also be used in hop tea, bread starters and selected sauces or preserves, although their powerful bitterness requires restraint. Mature cones contain small dry fruits called achenes when female plants have been pollinated. Commercial hop fields often contain few or no male plants, so many cultivated cones are largely seedless. The rhizomes are weakly documented as edible. Because they may be tough, intensely bitter, and destructive to harvest, they are not recommended. Edible Uses & Rating: Common hop deserves an overall edibility rating of 3/5. The young shoots can be excellent vegetables and may deserve a part-specific rating of 4/5 when gathered at the ideal stage. Their flavor is distinctive, their seasonal availability is brief, and a mature crown can produce numerous shoots. The overall rating is lower because the plant offers little bulk food after the spring shoot season. The cones are valuable flavorings but are too bitter to eat as ordinary vegetables. The seeds have uncertain status and should not be used to raise the rating. Their possible inclusion in historic bread preparations appears to have been misinterpreted. The evidence more strongly supports hops as flavorings and fermentation aids than as sources of flour. The rhizomes are similarly uncertain and should be excluded from routine food recommendations. Common hop is therefore a high-quality seasonal shoot vegetable combined with an internationally important flavoring crop, but not a staple source of calories. Young leaves and young shoots - cooked[2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 33, 37]. The flavour is unique and, to many tastes, delicious[183]. Young leaves can be eaten in salads[1, 183]. Use before the end of May[12]. The leaves contain rutin[218]. The fleshy rhizomes are sometimes eaten[183]. A tea is made from the leaves and cones[183]. It has a gentle calming effect[4]. The dried flowering heads of female plants are used as a flavouring and preservative in beer[2, 183]. They are also medicinal[2]. The flowering heads are sprinkled with bitter-tasting yellow translucent glands, which appear as a granular substance[4]. This substance prevents gram-negative bacteria from growing in the beer or wort[269]. Much of the hop's use as a flavouring and medicinal plant depends on the abundance of this powdery substance[4]. The seeds contain gamma-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid that is said to have many important functions in the human body and is rarely found in plant sources[218]. The essential oil in the flowering heads is used as a flavouring in cereal beverages and mineral waters[269]. Extracts from the plant, and the oil, are used as flavouring in non-alcoholic beverages, frozen dairy desserts, candy, baked goods and puddings, with the highest average maximum use level of 0.072% reported for an extract used in baked goods[269]. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: The youngest hop shoots are crisp and mildly aromatic. Their initial flavor is green and vegetal, followed by a gentle bitterness that becomes stronger as the shoots age. Fresh raw tips can be added sparingly to salads, but the roughness and bitterness of the stems usually make cooked preparations more successful. Blanching for several minutes in lightly salted water produces a tender shoot with a flavor somewhere between asparagus and bitter spring greens. The cooking water can be discarded if the bitterness is excessive. Steamed shoots retain more aroma and firmness. They can be served with butter, olive oil, lemon juice, hollandaise, soft cheese or a lightly flavored dressing. Sautéing briefly after blanching creates a delicate vegetable suitable for omelets, risottos, pasta, soups or grain dishes. Only the tender tip and upper stem should be used. If a shoot bends without snapping or has begun to twine strongly, it is likely to be stringy. Hop cones are much more intense. Chewing even a small piece releases penetrating bitterness, accompanied by resinous, herbal, and sometimes floral, citrus, pine, spicy, or earthy aromas. The precise aroma varies greatly between cultivars. In beer production, hops may be added early in boiling for bitterness, later for flavor, or near the end and after fermentation for aroma. The culinary principle is similar outside brewing: prolonged boiling emphasizes bitterness, while shorter or cooler contact preserves more volatile fragrance. A mild hop tea can be produced from a very small quantity of dried cone. Excess material creates a harsh drink that may be difficult to swallow. Historically, hop decoctions were used to support bread fermentation. Hops added flavor and helped restrict some undesirable microorganisms while wild or cultivated yeast became established. “Hop bread” - The cones or hop-infused liquids were mixed with ordinary flour or used to prepare yeast starters. Where mature seeded cones are available, the dry papery bracts can be rubbed to release the small greyish-tan achenes. The surrounding lupulin resin gives raw seeds an extremely acrid flavor. Light toasting can develop a grain-like aroma but may not eliminate the resins. Low heat is essential because the material scorches rapidly. Boiling is more effective at reducing bitterness. The combined method described in the supplied notes—gentle toasting, boiling and discarding the cooking water—may leave a starchy, fully chewable seed with residual hop flavor. This field observation is useful, but it does not establish that meal-sized quantities are safe or nutritionally worthwhile. Seed use should remain experimental. Seasonality (Phenology): Common hop is dormant through winter. The previous year’s bines die after frost, while buds remain protected on the underground crown and rhizomes. New shoots emerge from early to late spring depending on climate. In mild European regions, shoots may appear in March. In cold areas, emergence may be delayed until April or May. The edible season begins as soon as the shoots appear and may last only a few weeks. Harvest should be concentrated on shoots approximately 6–10 centimeters long. Unharvested shoots begin climbing rapidly as temperatures rise. Under favorable conditions, mature bines can extend several centimeters in a day and reach the top of tall trellises by early summer. Flowering generally occurs in midsummer. Male plants produce loose clusters of small flowers, while female plants form compact clusters that expand into cones. Commercial cones are commonly harvested from late summer to early autumn while they remain greenish, aromatic and resilient. The bracts should feel papery but not brittle, and the yellow lupulin glands should be conspicuous and fragrant. Fully mature seeded cones eventually turn brown and dry. The seeds are most easily separated at this later stage. The bines die back naturally after autumn frost. They may then be cut close to the ground, leaving the crown to regrow the following spring. Safety & Cautions (Food Use): The bitter resins and aromatic compounds in hops are biologically active. Small culinary amounts are well established, but concentrated preparations should be approached cautiously. Hops have a traditional reputation as sedatives. They may increase drowsiness when combined with alcohol, sleeping medicines, sedatives or other calming herbs. People who are pregnant, breastfeeding or receiving treatment for hormone-sensitive conditions should seek appropriate medical advice before using concentrated hop teas, extracts or supplements. Handling fresh plants can cause skin irritation. The bines and leaves carry coarse hooked hairs that scratch exposed skin, and some people react to hop resins or pollen. Gloves, long sleeves and eye protection are useful during harvesting. The most serious household hazard concerns dogs. ASPCA identifies Humulus lupulus as toxic to dogs. Ingestion can produce panting, dangerously elevated body temperature, vomiting, restlessness, tremors, seizures, and death. Fresh, dried, pelleted, and spent brewing hops can all present a risk. Hop cones, brewing waste and compost containing spent hops must be stored where dogs cannot reach them. Suspected ingestion requires urgent veterinary attention. The intense bitterness of cones is a natural indication that they are not intended to be eaten in quantity. Attempting to disguise that bitterness with sugar does not make a large dose appropriate. Commercial hop pellets and extracts may be highly concentrated compared with whole cones. They should be used according to food or brewing instructions rather than tasted freely. The limited reports concerning edible rhizomes are inadequate for a confident recommendation. Seeds should also be treated conservatively. Their flavor can apparently be improved through processing, but evidence of substantial traditional use remains uncertain. Harvest & Processing Workflow: For shoots, identify and manage a known hop crown during the previous growing season. This avoids confusion with other emerging climbers in spring. Return when the first shoots are approximately 6–10 centimeters tall. Select plump, tender growth that has not begun vigorous twining. Cut shoots cleanly near soil level. Do not pull them from the crown, as this can tear underground buds or rhizomes. Take only a proportion of the emerging shoots. A vigorous crown needs several strong bines to rebuild its root reserves and produce cones. Wash the harvested shoots in cool water and remove damaged or gritty lower sections. Use them promptly, as they deteriorate after cutting. For hop cones, harvest only from female plants. Cones intended for flavoring should be aromatic, green to yellow-green and papery. When gently compressed, a mature cone should feel resilient and spring back rather than remain wet or squashy. Split a sample cone lengthwise. Yellow lupulin glands should be visible near the bases of the bracts and should release a strong characteristic aroma. Pick cones individually or cut productive lateral branches. Avoid crushing them into compact bags, where heat and moisture can damage quality. Dry cones promptly in a thin layer under warm, shaded, and well-ventilated conditions. Excessive heat drives off valuable aromatic oils. Store completely dry cones in airtight packaging, preferably cool or frozen, because hop aroma deteriorates through exposure to oxygen, light and warmth. To obtain seed, allow pollinated cones to mature until brown and papery. Rub them gently over a tray and winnow the lightweight bracts. Any experimental seed preparation should begin with a small quantity. Toast gently, boil thoroughly, and discard the water. Do not assume that favorable flavor establishes unlimited safety. Cultivar / Selection Notes: Common hop has been developed into many named cultivars for brewing, ornamental use, and particular climates. Brewing cultivars are often grouped broadly as bittering, aroma or dual-purpose hops. Bittering varieties are selected for relatively high concentrations of alpha acids. Aroma varieties are valued for volatile oils that contribute floral, herbal, fruity, spicy, citrus or resinous notes. Dual-purpose varieties provide both substantial bitterness and desirable aroma. Traditional European aroma cultivars include landrace groups associated with particular regions. Modern breeding has produced cultivars adapted to mechanized harvesting, disease resistance, and different beer styles. Female cultivars are propagated vegetatively so their sex and cone chemistry remain consistent. Seeds do not reproduce a named cultivar reliably because they contain a new combination of parental genes. Male plants are required for breeding but are usually excluded from commercial cone yards. Pollination produces seeds that add weight and may alter brewing quality. Cultivars also vary in shoot flavor and tenderness. Plants selected for brewing have not necessarily been evaluated as vegetables. Ornamental forms may be selected for yellow foliage, compact habit or decorative cones. These should not be harvested for food when treated with non-food pesticides. The variety lupulus should also be distinguished from native North American hop lineages. Current Kew treatment accepts several former North American varieties as separate species rather than forms of European common hop. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks: Mature Common Hop is distinctive, but the young shoots can be confused with other climbing plants. Hop leaves occur in opposite pairs. They are simple but palmately divided into three to seven lobes, with sharply toothed margins and rough surfaces. Wild grape leaves are alternate rather than opposite. Grapes climb using branched tendrils, whereas hop bines wrap their entire stems around supports. Virginia creeper has separate leaflets rather than one lobed leaf blade and climbs using tendrils ending in adhesive pads. Poison ivy may climb trees but normally has leaves divided into three distinct leaflets. Its stems attach by aerial rootlets rather than twining. Moonseed also has alternate leaves and bears dark berry-like fruits, not dry papery cones. Its fruit should not be mistaken for edible grapes. Stinging nettle has opposite toothed leaves and is related at the order level, but it grows upright and bears stinging hairs rather than twining bines. Hooked-hair hop, Humulus scandens, formerly called Japanese hop, is an annual Asian species that has become invasive in parts of North America. It can form dense growth over native vegetation. Its leaves are frequently divided into five or more narrow lobes, and its female flower structures are smaller and less compact than Common Hop cones. European Hop can also be difficult to distinguish from naturalised or native North American Humulus species. Accurate variety- or species-level identification may require geographic information and examination of stems, leaves and cone bracts. Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: Common hop has a long European and western Asian history as a flavouring, medicine, preservative and vegetable. Young shoots were gathered in spring and cooked as greens. In modern hop-producing regions they remain a speciality vegetable and can command high prices because harvesting is labour-intensive and the season is brief. Hop cones eventually became one of the defining ingredients of beer. Their bitterness balances the sweetness of malt, while their volatile oils contribute aroma. Their antimicrobial activity also favoured their adoption in fermented drinks. Before hops became dominant, European beers and ales were flavoured with various mixtures of herbs. The spread of hopped beer reflected both taste and improved storage properties. Hops were also used in bread-making. Decoctions supported yeast starters, added flavour and helped protect cultures against some spoilage organisms. The supplied information concerning Apache use applies specifically to New Mexico or western hop rather than European Hop. It is nevertheless valuable because it demonstrates how a statement such as “used to make bread” can refer to flavouring and fermentation rather than flour. European medicinal traditions used hops as calming bitters for sleeplessness, restlessness, digestive complaints and loss of appetite. These uses involve pharmacologically active preparations and should not be confused with ordinary food quantities.

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Anodyne  Antianxiety  Antibacterial  Antiseptic  Antispasmodic  Appetizer  Diuretic  Dysentery  
Febrifuge  Galactogogue  Hypnotic  Leprosy  Nervine  Sedative  Stomachic  
Tonic

Hops have a long and proven history of herbal use, where they are employed mainly for their soothing, sedative, tonic and calming effect on the body and the mind. Their strongly bitter flavour largely accounts for their ability to strengthen and stimulate the digestion, increasing gastric and other secretions[254]. The female fruiting body is anodyne, antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, febrifuge, hypnotic, nervine, sedative, stomachic and tonic[4, 9, 21, 46, 165, 192, 218]. Hops are widely used as a folk remedy to treat a wide range of complaints, including boils, bruises, calculus, cancer, cramps, cough, cystitis, debility, delirium, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, fever, fits, hysteria, inflammation, insomnia, jaundice, nerves, neuralgia, rheumatism, and worms[269]. The hairs on the fruits contain lupulin, a sedative and hypnotic drug[213, 218]. When given to nursing mothers, lupulin increases the flow of milk - recent research has shown that it contains a related hormone that could account for this effect[7]. The decoction from the flower is said to remedy swellings and hardness of the uterus[269]. Hop flowers are much used as an infusion or can also be used to stuff pillows where the weight of the head will release the volatile oils[213]. The fruit is also applied externally as a poultice to ulcers, boils, painful swellings etc[4, 218], it is said to remedy painful tumours[269]. The female flowering heads are harvested in the autumn and can be used fresh or dried[238]. Alcoholic extracts of hops in various dosage forms have been used clinically in treating numerous forms of leprosy, pulmonary tuberculosis, and acute bacterial dysentery, with varying degrees of success in China. The female fruiting body contains humulone and lupulone, these are highly bacteriostatic against gram-positive and acid-fast bacteria[240]. A cataplasm of the leaf is said to remedy cold tumours[269]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Humulus lupulus for nervousness and insomnia (see [302] for critics of commission E).

Dye  Essential  Fibre  Paper

Landscape Uses: Ground cover, Screen. A fine brown dye is obtained from the leaves and flower heads[4, 100, 269]. An essential oil from the female fruiting heads is used in perfumery[213, 238]. Average yields are 0.4 - 0.5%[240]. Extracts of the plant are used in Europe in skin creams and lotions for their alleged skin-softening properties[269]. A fibre is obtained from the stems[46]. Similar to hemp (Cannabis sativa)[100] but not as strong[115], it is used to make a coarse kind of cloth[4]. It is sometimes used for filler material in corrugated paper or board products, but is unsuited for corrugated paper because of low pulp yield and high chemical requirement, or for production of high-grade pulp for speciality paper[269]. The fibre is very durable but it is difficult to separate, the stems need to be soaked beforehand for a whole winter[4]. A paper can also be made from the fibre, the stems are harvested in the autumn, the leaves removed and the stems steamed until the fibres can be removed. The fibre is cooked for 2 hours with lye and then hand pounded with mallets or ball milled for 2½ hours. The paper is brown in colour[189]. Ecology & Wildlife.Common hop creates dense seasonal cover along rivers, hedges and woodland margins. Its bines use existing vegetation for support, allowing rapid access to sunlight without investing in a permanent woody trunk. Leaves support a variety of insects, including moth larvae, aphids and beetles. These animals provide food for predatory insects, spiders and birds. The dense foliage may shelter nesting or roosting birds, although excessive growth can suppress smaller plants beneath it. Seeds are eaten by some birds and rodents where pollinated cones are produced. The rhizome system helps bind moist soil, but hops should not be used alone for streambank stabilization because the annual stems provide little winter structure. Cultivated hop gardens can support wildlife when surrounded by flowering margins and managed without broad-spectrum pesticides. The plant also has considerable agricultural and genetic importance. Cultivars contain diverse combinations of bitter acids and aromatic oils, while wild populations remain potential sources of disease resistance and environmental adaptation. For PFAF users, Common Hop is best understood as a productive specialty vegetable, internationally important brewing crop, medicinally active herb and vigorous seasonal climber that requires both culinary restraint and horticultural management.

Special Uses

Attracts Wildlife  Food Forest  Scented Plants