Practical
Plants

Ptelea trifoliata

Hop Tree

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Ptelea genus in the family Rutaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rutaceae
Genus
Ptelea
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
6 m
Spread
6 m
Fertility
Carrion flies
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Carrion flies

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[18].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit. A very bitter flavour, though it is eaten by young children[5]. 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[8][4][6]. The fruit is produced abundantly in Britain[23], though very little of it is fertile[1]. The fruit is very thin and about 25mm long[9].

Product or use
Condiment
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[19][10][21][24][16]. It has been mixed with other medicines in order to give added potency[11][12][17]. It has a soothing influence on the mucous membranes and promotes the appetite, being tolerated when other tonics cannot be retained[19]. It is also taken in the treatment of intermittent fevers such as malaria, heartburn, roundworms, pinworms and poor digestion[16]. Externally it is applied to wounds[16]. The roots are harvested in the autumn, the bark peeled off and dried for later use[16]. The roots are a tonic, used in the treatment of asthmatic breathing, fevers, poor appetite etc[12]. The leaves are said to be useful in the treatment of wounds and also in the destruction of intestinal worms[11][12].

Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Antiperiodic
Product or use
Miscellany
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Sometimes used as a hedge plant in N. America[13]. Wood - hard, heavy, close grained[24][3]. It weighs 51lb per cubic foot[14] but the tree does not grow large enough for commercial exploitation[15].

Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Quebec and New York to Florida, west to Texas and Kansas.
Habitat
Moist places, rocky slopes, edges of woods[10], alluvial thickets and gravels[20]. It is found in many different soil types[14].
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[9]. 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][9]. The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. A very ornamental plant[22], it is slow-growing and short-lived in the wild[15]. The sub-species P. trifoliata mollis. Torr.&Gray. is the form that is eaten by children[5]. The leaves are aromatic[7]. All parts of the plant emit a disagreeable odour[14]. The flowers are especially pungent and are pollinated by carrion flies[15]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[9].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

  3. Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-292-78958-3

    ↩

  4. McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-253-28925-4

    ↩

  5. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩1↩2

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  7. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩

  8. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  11. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2

  12. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  13. Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989-00-00 ISBN 0889025649

    ↩

  14. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩1↩2↩3

  15. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3

  16. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  17. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  18. 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

    ↩

  19. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  20. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  21. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  22. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  23. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  24. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2

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