Hops
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Botanical Name |
Humulus lupulus |
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Family |
Moraceae /Cannabaceae |
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Other Names |
Beer Flower, common hop, European hop,hop bine, lupulus, willow wolf |
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Habitat |
Hedgerows, woodland edges, scrub, wastelands |
|
Description |
Perennial deciduous climbing plant. Up to 8m/23ft. Stems: clinging, hairy Bears male and females flowers on different plants June-September. Dark green leaves and green/yellow cone like flowers 2.5-3cm long, 2-2.5cm wide. Fruit early September. Twines in a clockwise direction |
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Native to |
Europe, north America, parts of Asia |
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Cultivated in |
Worldwide |
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Part Used |
Fruit, flowers |
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Cultivation |
Sow seeds in late spring. Rich well dug soil in full sun against a fence or wall. Thin to 15cm/6in apart |
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Propagation |
Root division in spring |
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Harvesting |
Female flowers August –September before fully ripe Shoots no later than May |
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Preserving |
Dry in shade |
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Classification |
Aromatic, bitter |
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Actions |
Anodyne, aphrodisiac, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, bactericidal, bitter tonic, carminative, diuretic, emollient, oestrogenic properties, hypnotic, nervine, sedative, soporific, tonic, tranquillzer |
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Extraction |
Steam distillation from cones or catkins known as “strobiles” |
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Constituents |
Volatile oil 0.3-1%; Terpenoids –humulene (alpha caryophyllene 90%), beta caryophyllene, myrcene, farnesene. Sulfurous compounds-2,3,4 trithiapentane, 5 methyl butanote, 5 methylthio 4 methylpentanoate, 4,5 epithiocaryophyllene. 2-methylbut-3-ene-2-ol, 3 methylbut 2 ene 1 al, 2, 3, 5 trithiahexane Flavonoids –chalcones, xanthohumol, isoxanthohumol, series of prenylated flavonoids, and chalcones including 6-prenylnaringenin, 6-geranyl naringenin, 6, 8 –diprenylanrigenin and glycosides of kaempferol and quercetin Oleo resin composed of alpha bitter acids –humulone, cohumulone, adhumulone, posthumulone Phenols and phenolic glycosides; Flavonoid glycosides –astragelen, quercitin, isoquercitin, rutin, kaempferol 3 rutinoside Carbohydrates: sugars, starch Beta bitter acids –lupulene, colupulone, adlupulone Traces of 2-methylpropanic and 3 methylbutanoic acids Tannins, lipids, phenolic acid |
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Culinary Uses |
Shoots salads or steamed. Flowers flavour beer |
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Respiratory |
Asthma |
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Digestive |
Digestion, jaundice |
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Genito-Urinary |
Amenorrhoea, menstrual cramp, femininity |
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Nervous system |
Insomnia, headaches, neuralgia, stress |
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Other Uses |
Perfumes, flavouring |
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Other Notes |
The name hop comes from the old English hopen or hoppan meaning to climb Its name willow wolf comes from the fact that it likes to twine around willow trees in the wild |
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Caution |
Do not take if suffering depression |