Dodonaea viscosa

Native Hops

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Taxonomy and growth

Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Dodonaea
Life cycle: perennial
Foliage: evergreen
Woodiness: woody
Height: 3 m
Spread: 1.5 m
Fertility: self sterile
Flower type: dioecious

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

The leaves are slightly cyanogenic^[1]. They are also said to contain saponins^[6]. Although quite toxic, saponins are poorly absorbed by the body and most pass straight through without any problems. Saponins can be found in a number of common foods such as some types of beans. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish[K].

Edible uses

Seed^[5]^[8]. No further details are given. The bitter fruits are a substitute for hops and yeast in making beer^[5]^[6]^[8]. The chewed leaves are said to be stimulating^[5]^[8] but they contain saponins^[6] and are also said to be slightly cyanogenic^[1] so their use is not very advisable.

Product or use: Condiment

Plant part: Seed

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The leaves are anodyne, astringent, diaphoretic, febrifuge (the var. angustissima is normally used^[1]), odontalgic and vulnerary^[1]^[11]. They are applied internally in the treatment of fevers^[11]. Externally, they are used to treat toothache, sore throats, wounds, skin rashes and stings^[11]^[13]. The leaves are apparently effective in the treatment of toothache if they are chewed without swallowing the juice^[11]. The bark is employed in astringent baths and poultices^[12].

Product or use: Anodyne

Product or use: Diaphoretic

Product or use: Febrifuge

Product or use: Odontalgic

Product or use: Vulnerary

Material uses

The leaves contain up to 18% tannin^[11]. Plants are very tolerant of pruning and make a good hedging plant for windy sites^[9]^[12]. Wood - heavy, tough, resistant. Used for wedges, hammers, turnery, inlay, cabinets etc^[2].

Product or use: Tannin

Product or use: Wood

Ecology and functions

Hedge

Environment

Range: Australia, New Zealand and N. America.
Habitat: Rocky, stony or sandy soils in the montane zone of Victoria^[2].
Light: full sun
Shade tolerance: no shade
Water: moderate
Hardiness: Zone 9+
Soil textures: sandy
Soil pH: acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage: well drained
Tolerances: high wind, maritime exposure, drought
Wind: Yes
Maritime: Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil: No
Drought: tolerant

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[K]. The seed is slow to germinate according to one report^[10], but it germinated in 3 weeks in a cold greenhouse with us[K]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a fairly sunny part of the greenhouse for at least their first winter. If trying them outdoors, then plant them out in early summer of their second or third year's growth after the last expected frosts and give them some protection from the cold for their next winter or two[K]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame^[9].

Cultivation

Requires a light well-drained soil in a sunny position^[10]. Succeeds in almost any fertile soil and in a hot dry position. Resists drought, salt winds and (atmospheric?) pollution^[10]. Plants are very wind hardy but are not resistant to frost^[4]. They tolerate temperatures down to about -7°c in Australian gardens^[3], but are damaged at about 3°c in British gardens^[10]. One report says that they succeed outdoors in the mildest gardens in Britain^[7]. Plants are growing very well in pots in a polyhouse on our trial grounds in south Cornwall, but they have not survived in the open ground[K]. Our seed source was from Australia, other provenances might be more hardy[K]. Plants are difficult to transplant when they are more than 60 centimetres tall^[10]. Polymorphic, there are a number of sub-species^[2]^[3]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T. Australian Medicinal Plants.
↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4
Ewart. A. J. Flora of Victoria.
↩1 ↩2 ↩3
Wrigley. J. W. and Fagg. M. Australian Native Plants. Collins. (Australia) 1988-00-00 ISBN 0-7322-0021-0
↩1 ↩2
Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00
↩
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
↩1 ↩2 ↩3
Pesman. M. W. Meet Flora Mexicana. Dale S. King. Arizona. 1962-00-00
↩1 ↩2 ↩3
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
↩
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
↩1 ↩2 ↩3
Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
↩1 ↩2
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
↩1 ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00
↩1 ↩2
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
↩

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