Hop / Hops are healthy and fast growing twiners that can quickly cover large areas without causing structural damage. Hops are a good choice for inexpensive high greening, for down pipes, and balconies. For facades, however, there are better climbing plants (grapeless grapevines, for example). Hops are perennial and will last only one year (so there is no lignification); the nw shoots grow anew from the ground each year. They will die in autumn and then need to be removed from facades (the plant mass is a fire hazard), at least every 2 to 3 years. FassadenGrün offers pure female plants (beer hops) and the variety "Aureus" (golden hops).
Beer Hops - Humulus lupulus
Hop plants need a semi-shaded to sunny location with well drained, moist, and nutrient-rich soil. Also grows well in containers. Planting distance: 0.8 - 1.5 metres.
This is an extremely fast-growing twiner which does not lignify but dies back to the ground in autumn. New shoots appear again in very early spring, and the young asparagus-like shoots are edible. Can reach a height up to 12 metres. In warm temperatures the plant grows up to 1 metre per week! Leaf shape similar to grapevine, foliage from April to October. Another less vigorously growing species is the Japanese Hops Humulus scandens, an annual plant which propagates itself by seed. Hops is dioeceous, with female plants mainly being cultivated for beer hops production. The male flowers are inconspicuous panicles, the female ones catkins, and the famous fruit is light green. If necessary, thin out the young shoots in very early spring; in autumn remove remaining leaves and shoots with a rake.
Hops can climb lightning conductors, downpipes, balconies, balustrades and railings, masts / poles, struts, and other already existing climbing supports. Obviously hops grows well on all other climbing support systems as well. For suitable wire rope systems, see below. Best are simple wire rope trellis kits in our basic, basic-s, or medium range.
Because of its free floating seeds, hop spreads on its own and finds other 'climbing aids' ~ downpipes and lightening rods, etc..
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