Description: Japanese Hops is a herbaceous usually annual vine. Leaves are heart-shaped, palmately 5-lobed.Green flowers bloom mid to late summer. Male and female flowers appear on separate plants.
Habitat: Japanese Hops can grow in sand, loam, clay, and acidic to basic soils, though soils must be moist. Plants grow in open woodlands, fields, praries, and riparian corridors.
Invasive Traits: Japanese establishes near water, which it uses to help disperse its seeds. It will reproduce vegetatively, quickly forming a dense cover, outcompeting native vegetation.
Control: Mechanical forms of control and removal are not recommended due to vigorous resprouting. Applying herbicide to leaves when rootstock is accumulating energy is most effective.
Further Reading
Photo credits
- Cleveland Metroparks
- Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
- Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org
