Humulus lupulus

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the name "Humulus lupulus," I'm sure you are acquainted with the taste of it's female flowers-- most commonly known as "hops." Yes, hops: the bittering/flavoring agent in almost every beer you have consumed.

At first glance one would most likely refer to H. lupulus as a vine, when in reality it is considered a "bine." Vines climb using tendrils and suckers while bines climb by forming a helix around their support, utilizing small bristles on the stem to hang on.



Hops are herbaceous perennials and are typically either grown on a trellis or a run-up string. The first graphic of this post shows a hop plant growing up a string and back down again. This seems to be an effective technique for the home gardener seeing as how a twelve-foot-high string isn't necessarily easy for the average, non-commercial gardener to achieve, let alone reach.

This post is merely an introduction to hops. Check in soon to find out more on growing hops at home!