Ptelea trifoliata mollis
Hop Tree
a perennial woody deciduous member of the Ptelea genus in the family Rutaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
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.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
This species can cause photosensitization of the skin[15].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Fruit - raw[7]. Eaten by young children[5][14]. 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[4][6]. The fruit is produced abundantly in Britain[20], though very little of it is fertile[1]. The fruit is about 25mm long[8].
- Plant part
- Fruit
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.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The root-bark is anthelmintic, antibacterial, antiperiodic, stomachic and tonic[16][9][18][21][13]. It has been mixed with other medicines in order to give added potency[10][11]. It has a soothing influence on the mucous membranes and promotes the appetite, being tolerated when other tonics cannot be retained[16]. It is also taken in the treatment of intermittent fevers such as malaria, heartburn, roundworms, pinworms and poor digestion[13]. Externally it is applied to wounds[13]. The roots are harvested in the autumn, the bark peeled off and dried for later use[13]. The roots are a tonic, used in the treatment of asthmatic breathing, fevers, poor appetite etc[11]. The leaves are said to be useful in the treatment of wounds and also in the destruction of intestinal worms[10][11].
- Product or use
- Anthelmintic
- Product or use
- Antibacterial
- Product or use
- Antiperiodic
- Product or use
- Stomachic
- Product or use
- Tonic
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Wood - hard, heavy, close grained[21][3]. It weighs 43lb per cubic foot[12].
- Product or use
- Wood
Environment
- Range
- Eastern N. America - North Carolina and Georgia to Indiana.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 5+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[8]. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification at 5°c and should be sown as early as possible in the year[2]. 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[1]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[2]. Layering.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Succeeds in any fertile well-drained moisture retentive soil in full sun or light part day shade[1][8]. The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. A very ornamental plant[19]. This sub-species is the form that is eaten by children[5]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[8].
References
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009
Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-292-78958-3
McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4
Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225
Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X