Humulus lupulus Aureus, also called as Golden Hop, is a large, very decorative climbing perennial, which able to cover large surfaces in a season. It is appreciated for the luminosity of its blond leaves which turning to tender green in summer, whose shape reminds those of the vine...
Humulus lupulus Aureus, also called as Golden Hop, is a large, very decorative climbing perennial, which able to cover large surfaces in a season. It is appreciated for the luminosity of its blond leaves which turning to tender green in summer, whose shape reminds those of the vine. Its fruits appear in summer, they are very aromatic cones traditionally used in beer, but also in herbal medicine for their sedative and galactogenic virtues. In the garden, golden hops are perfect for quickly covering and hiding any medium exposed to partial shade.
Humulus lupulus Aureus description:
Humulus lupulus belongs to the Cannabaceae family, just like hemp and hackberry. It is native to Europe, temperate Asia and Boreal Africa where it populates cool and wet places. It is a perennial herbaceous liana with its large fleshy root, which regenerates each year all its aerial vegetation and overwinter rest underground. Hops is a dioecious plant, that is to say that there are male feet and female feet.
The female hops are distinguished by a slightly less important development and a very blond foliage in the spring. The herbaceous and voluble stalks of golden hops emerge from the stump in the spring, rapidly hugging any support available to them. Their growth is very fast, they grow several centimeters per day and reach more than 6 m in one season. Their section is quadrangular, they carry leaves nicely cut into 3 to 5 oval lobes, pointed and crenellated. The yellow color of the leaves is very marked in spring, then progressively turns to chartreuse green and tender green in summer. Female inflorescences appear in summer, from June to August depending on the climate. These are kittens that will become, after pollination by a male foot, fruits called cones. The ovoid-shaped cones have a scaly appearance, are golden in color and covered with a fragrant and powdery resin called lupulin. They are usually harvested in September.
In the ornamental garden, golden hops are an excellent complement to a climbing yellow or white rosebush, and combine well with a strong blue-flowered clematis like Blue Angel. It gives a second life to an old tree, conceals a tired garden shed or an unsightly construction and nimbus of golden color trellis or arbor of a terrace. The flowers, picked in September, make beautiful dry bouquets.
Female inflorescences, cones, have been used to flavor beer since the 8th century. Previously, hops were only used to preserve beer. Currently (and despite modern conservation technologies), this tradition has remained for the slight bitterness and flavor that hops bring.
Grow and care Humulus lupulus Aureus:
Golden hops are easy to cultivate in ordinary and deep soil and support all exposures with a preference for partial shade. A brutal sun would burn its foliage. It shows a preference for clay-limestone and very fertile soils. Plant the Golden Hops in a cool soil and bring a good soil fertilizer to the planting. It clings on its own thanks to the small hooks on the twining rods.
Install a trellis if you want to fill a wall. The stems emerge from their support without difficulty in autumn, because they dry and die from the first frosts. Prune your plant each year to 25 cm high, in February or March; remember to rip (and possibly replant) discards that otherwise become invasive. The best time to plantation is March or October.
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