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Climber Wall Shrub

Humulus lupulus (f)

A deciduous, herbaceous perennial female climber with a vigorous, clockwise-twining habit, reaching up to 8m in height and 2.5m in spread. It features mid-green, deeply divided leaves with three to five lobes, a rough texture, and toothed margins. From July to September, it produces aromatic, cone-shaped flowers, essential for beer brewing

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Ultimate height

8–12 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Cannabaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Climbing
Potentially harmful: Skin irritant/allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling TOXIC to pets if eaten (dogs) - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus: Humulus are vigorous herbaceous climbers with rough, twining stems, deeply palmately-lobed leaves and small green flowers, male and female on separate plants
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in full sun or partial shade in moist-well-drained soil, preferably in a deep, fertile loam. Provide supports such as twine, wires or trellis. Hops can be used for brewing; new spring shoots can be cooked and eaten

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings or semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut down to ground level in late autumn or winter

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to downy mildews

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