Content
- Hops carry either male or female flowers
- How to recognize male and female flowers
- Male hops are not wanted
- When is the heyday of hops?
- Tips
Female flowers are cone-shaped
Hops carry either male or female flowers
Hop plants are two-sexed. Either the plant is female or male. The sex of the hops can only be recognized when it flowers. Male hop plants are not desirable because they do not develop fruit. In addition, they change the quality of the female flower when they fertilize them.
How to recognize male and female flowers
Male flowers of the hop can be recognized by the flower spikes. These hang down long and are loosely structured. The spermatozoa are ripening in it.
Female flowers develop cone-shaped inflorescences that are reminiscent of ears. These are umbellate flowers. The cover leaves of the female flower enlarge after fertilization and look like small, green cones before the harvest.
Male hops are not wanted
Male hop plants are usually torn out, as they do not develop fruit that can be used. In typical brewery areas the breeding of male hops is even forbidden.
If it turns out during flowering that a male plant has been pulled, it must be removed.
When mixing female and male flowers the fruit suffers. For example, there is no foam on the beer. Also the taste and the ingredients change and make the fruits useless.
When is the heyday of hops?
The bloom of the hop begins in June and can last until September. The fruits ripen very fast and are ready for harvest from August.
Tips
Hops as a crop is not propagated by seeds. Sowing is not guaranteed to produce a female plant that has the desired qualities for disease and taste. Instead, the propagation takes place via cuttings and root division.