Gardening Plant Encyclopedia Vine Hops By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 1, 2017 Share Tweet Pin Email Hops Overview Description Hops is widely grown as a key ingredient in beer making, but this perennial vine is also beautiful, making it an excellent ornamental. The hops used in beer making are the seed heads of the vine. Because the plant has separate sexes, you'll need to plant a female vine to get the hops and a male plant to pollinate. Harvest hops when they feel light and dry to the touch. Vines grow vigorously, so provide a sturdy trellis. Prune hops back to the ground every spring. Genus Name Humulus lupulus Common Name Hops Plant Type Vine Light Part Sun, Sun Height 8 to 20 feet Width 6 to 20 feet Season Features Summer Bloom Special Features Attracts Birds, Low Maintenance Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Propagation Layering, Stem Cuttings More varieties for hops Golden hops Humulus lupulus 'Aureus' has chartreuse foliage. It is grown as an ornamental vine for its lobed yellow-green leaves. It also bears small greenish-white flowers that attract butterflies. In the North, it can withstand full sun, but foliage may scorch without afternoon shade in warm climates. Zones 4-9 Pick healthy plants and build better garden soil More Videos » Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit