Common Hop

How to grow Common Hop

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant dormant crowns in early spring into ground dug through with compost, and give each plant strings or wires running up to 5 m or more. The top growth dies back to the ground every winter and regrows to full height in a single season, so the support must be in place before growth starts in April.

Pruning

Cut all the old bines to the ground in late autumn or winter and clear them away. In spring, thin the emerging shoots to the three or four strongest per string and twist them clockwise around the support to get them started.

Propagation

Divide the crown in early spring, or take basal cuttings from young shoots. Only female plants produce the cones used in brewing, so buy a named female plant rather than growing from seed.

Pests and diseases

Aphids build up quickly on soft young bines, and downy and powdery mildew are common in humid seasons — good air movement and generous spacing help more than anything else. Red spider mite can be a problem in hot dry summers.

Value to wildlife

The dense summer growth provides cover for nesting birds and invertebrates, and hop is a larval food plant for the comma butterfly.

Notes

The bines are covered in small hooked bristles that cause scratchy skin irritation — wear long sleeves and gloves when training or clearing them. The golden-leaved form is the usual choice for ornamental gardens; it is less vigorous and colours best in sun.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Humulus lupulus but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Humulus