Humulus lupulus Dry flowers Hops
LATIN NAME: Humulus lupulus
COMMON NAME: Hops
Hops is the vigorous, twining climber of the cool, temperate lands, and its fragrant, papery, cone-like flowers have given the beer its bitterness, its aroma and its keeping quality for a very long time. The fast, climbing bines carry the coarse, lobed leaves and climb high up the poles and the strings, and the small, green, cone-shaped female flowers hang in clusters through the late summer. The dried cones are used in the brewing and the herbal practice alike. It is a fine, generous, old-fashioned climber of the cool, sunny garden.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Hops has a strong and well-documented place in the plant science, and the bitter, aromatic compounds in the female cones have been studied for a very long time. The resins and the oils that give the beer its bitterness and its aroma have been studied closely, and the plant keeps showing up in the work on the brewing, the food science and the traditional use of the cones. The fast, twining bines are also a fine subject of the study of the climbing plants, and the breeding of the improved aroma and the bittering varieties is an active field, documented in the agricultural and the brewing journals.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Hops is grown for the fragrant cones, and they have been the heart of the beer-making for centuries, giving the bitterness, the aroma and the keeping quality to the brew. The dried cones have also a long traditional use in the herbal practice, and the plant is a fine, vigorous, old-fashioned climber for the sunny garden, covering the poles, the strings and the fences. It has been written about in the agricultural and the brewing papers for its long history and its many uses, and it is a generous, easy plant of the cool, sunny spot.
Hops has been grown in the cool, temperate lands of the old world for a very long time, and the fragrant, papery, cone-like flowers have given the beer its bitterness, its aroma and its keeping quality since the brewers learned their value. The female cones are picked in the late summer and dried, and the resins and the oils they carry are the heart of the brewing. The fast, twining bines climb high up the poles and the strings, and the coarse, lobed leaves give the plant a fine, old-fashioned look. The dried cones have also a long traditional use, and the plant is a generous, easy climber of the cool, sunny garden.
To grow the hops from seed, give the small, brown seeds a cold, damp spell first by mixing them with a little moist sand and keeping them in the fridge for a month, then sow them at a shallow depth in pots of moist, free-draining soil, keep them in a bright, open spot and water gently. The seedlings push through in good time and grow on into strong, twining bines that climb fast. With the sun, the support of the poles or strings and the cool, moist ground, the fragrant, papery cones will be there in a couple of seasons.
Most people know that Hops are one of the major ingredients in beer. It is a plant that has been used to brew the beverage for centuries. However, Hops can be used for much more than making an alcoholic liquid.
Dried Hops can be used for a variety of things. For example, problems with inflammation of a joint or other area of the body can be helped with the use of a poultice of dried Hops. Applied directly to the affected area, it will provide soothing relief.
In addition, Hops can be put in a sachet, placed under the pillow in bed and this may help those suffering from insomnia. A tea made with Hops is also very soothing and can aid one in helping to fall asleep.
Menstrual cramps can be eased with Hops. The plant works to fight muscle spasms that cause the painful cramps. In addition, it can fight spasms in the respiratory system that cause asthma.
This assistance with muscle spasms extends to the digestive system as well. For those who suffer from indigestion or irritable bowel syndrome, Hops can bring relief by relaxing the muscles of the digestive system. Also, Hops can be a good treatment for increasing the loss of appetite after illness.
The Magikal powers/uses of Hop Flowers are Healing and Sleep.
