It’s always exciting to find plants growing where you wouldn’t expect to find them – here are some hops that were growing wild along a stream near Newquay, Cornwall. The plant was so vigorous and full of life. It was May and they continue growing until the end of June to get to it’s maximum height before focusing on flowering (if a female plant). Here’s some photos:
Hops can be planted amongst fruit trees and shrubs or up posts and fences in orchards. it’s a really useful and beautiful climbing plant.
The shoots of the hops plant are edible (though it’s always best to check with an experienced forager or your plant ID book if you are unsure if you have the correct plant). You snip off about 10cm off of the end shoots in late Spring once the plant has got going. Any longer than that and the shoots get stringy. Try snapping the stem as that will reflect how good for eating they are, if you can’t snap the stem then it’s too stringy and old. Some people continue to snap off shoots well into summer which helps to keep the ends more tender and flower later.
They like full sun for good flowering but this hops was in only part sun, part wooded area next to stream and thriving with plenty of tender shoots to harvest.
