Humulus lupulus Prima Donna - Hop

Humulus lupulus 'Prima Donna' is a variety of particularly aromatic hops, originally selected for brewing. Its compact growth allows amateur gardeners to adopt it in a small garden or vegetable patch, and to try their hand at brewing. Its blonde cones, harvested in summer, can also be used to make sedative and soothing herbal teas. This small, hardy and perennial vine is also appreciated for its beautiful lush foliage, reminiscent of that of the vine. In the ornamental garden or on the terrace, 'Prima Donna' hops are perfect for beautifying and quickly hiding any unsightly support.

Humulus lupulus belongs to the Cannabaceae family, just like hemp and hackberries. It is native to Europe, temperate Asia and northern Africa, where it populates cool and humid areas. Hops are present throughout much of Europe. It is a perennial herbaceous vine with a large fleshy root that regenerates its entire above-ground vegetation each year and rests underground during winter. Hops are a dioecious plant, meaning there are male and female plants. 'Prima Donna', selected in England, is a highly floriferous female variety of small dimensions, whose inflorescences give beer a beautiful bitterness and a pleasantly lemony aroma.

The Prima Donna hops develop herbaceous and voluble stems in spring, emerging from the slightly suckering stump, quickly entwining any support available to them. Their growth is very rapid, reaching approximately 2.50m in one season. An adult plant will therefore occupy about 2.50m in height and 1.50m in spread. Their section is quadrangular, they bear rough leaves, nicely divided into 3 to 5 ovate, pointed and toothed lobes. The colour of the leaves is a bright green. The female inflorescences appear in summer, from June to August depending on the climate. These are green catkins that will take the form of cones. These ovoid cones have a scaly appearance, they are blonde in colour when ripe and covered with a fragrant and powdery resin called lupulin, which gives bitterness to beer. They are usually harvested in September.

In the ornamental garden, Prima Donna hops offer an excellent complement to a small climbing rose (e.g. Ghislaine de Feligonde, New Dawn) and pair well with a robust clematis with blue (Blue Angel), white (Miss Bateman) or pink (Little Mermaid, Josephine) flowers. An evergreen honeysuckle like Lonicera Copper Beauty, with flowers in shades of yellow to orange, will form an interesting association with this lovely climber, compensating for its absence in winter while its foliage blooms in summer. This small hops plant will give a second life to an old bush, conceal a tired garden shed or an unsightly small structure, and beautify the trellis of a terrace or a wooden pergola. The flowers, harvested in September, make beautiful dried bouquets. It can be easily grown in a large pot, as long as it is regularly watered and fertilised!

The female inflorescences, the cones, have been used to flavour beer since the 8th century. Previously, hops were only used to ensure the preservation of beer. Currently (despite modern preservation technologies), this tradition has remained for the slight bitterness and flavour that hops bring. Its young twining stems can also be consumed in the same way as asparagus.