Herb: Hop Tree


Latin name: Ptelea trifoliata


Family: Rutaceae (Rue Family, Citrus Family)



Medicinal use of Hop Tree:

The root-bark is anthelmintic, antibacterial, antiperiodic, stomachic and tonic. It has been mixed with other medicines in order to give added potency. It has a soothing influence on the mucous membranes and promotes the appetite, being tolerated when other tonics cannot be retained. It is also taken in the treatment of intermittent fevers such as malaria, heartburn, roundworms, pinworms and poor digestion. Externally it is applied to wounds. The roots are harvested in the autumn, the bark peeled off and dried for later use. The roots are a tonic, used in the treatment of asthmatic breathing, fevers, poor appetite etc. The leaves are said to be useful in the treatment of wounds and also in the destruction of intestinal worms.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Tree

Height:
6 m
(20 feet)

Flowering:
June
to July

Scent:
Scented
Tree

Habitat of the herb:

Moist places, rocky slopes, edges of woods, alluvial thickets and gravels. It is found in many different soil types.

Edible parts of Hop Tree:

Fruit. A very bitter flavour, though it is eaten by young children. The fruit is also used as a hop substitute when making beer and it is added to yeast to make it rise more quickly when making bread. The fruit is produced abundantly in Britain, though very little of it is fertile. The fruit is very thin and about 25mm long.

Other uses of the herb:

Sometimes used as a hedge plant in N. America. Wood - hard, heavy, close grained. It weighs 51lb per cubic foot but the tree does not grow large enough for commercial exploitation.

Propagation of Hop Tree:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification at 5°C and should be sown as early as possible in the year. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Very little of the seed produced in Britain is viable. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Layering.

Cultivation of the herb:

Moist places, rocky slopes, edges of woods, alluvial thickets and gravels. It is found in many different soil types.

Known hazards of Ptelea trifoliata:

This species can cause photosensitization of the skin.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.