The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Climbers => Topic started by: Umbrian on August 12, 2011, 11:02:29 AM
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One climber that I enjoy here in Italy is Humulus lupulus. It has attractive leaves and the fruits, i.e. hops look very pretty hanging from a small wooden pergola adjoining the wall of an old Tobacco drying tower situated in our garden. I cut branches of them before they get too dry as they make lovely autmn decorations for the house.
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Here London we have a female plant of Humulus lupulus 'Aureus' which is very striking but quite a problem. It often seeds into the borders and where it is in the base of herbaceous plant and even worse shrubs it can be difficult to remove. The seedlings also come up in a mixture of yellow and normal green leaves. Perhaps a male version would be more sensible but then you don't get the hops!
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No problem with seedlings here yet John but I will keep a wary eye open.
The first plant I managed to buy here turned out to be a male and so I waited in vain for hops.
The one I have now is indeed female and quite prolific. When I bought it the label had some additional information - hand written - "Very Tasty! - I believe the local country people use the tips of the growing shoots as a substitute for asparagus but I have never tried them.
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I got rid of my Humulus lupulus 'Aureus' female because it was too invasive and reseeding everywhere. I'm afraid of being obliged to weed the seedlings popping up each year. It was not so a problem in the northern part of France
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I used to grow H lupulus variegata as an annual in the Languedoc, however it will suffer from sun-burn in full sun like many varigated plants in the mediterranean area. David
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I grew Humulus from seeds many years ago, they grow like wild in my garden in Norway, one of them grows to the top of a telephone pole and decorates the telephone lines, they look much better that way. I miss the cones, though, since all the plants turned out to be male ones, but at least I have had no problems with seedlings. Sun-burns are usually not a problem in Norway.
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I've transplanted mine to the side of my shed that only gets morning sun. Before it was in full sun and the leaves got scorched. It seems a lot happier now.