MinxterBLOOM

From Henriette's Herbal website (in English, Swedish, and Finnish, since 1995 or so!): Humulus lupulus

(Click into image to go to the website, and see the Rafinescue (1828) print, too.)

American Medical Botany, Bigelow, 1817-1821. (used in Rafinesque)

Read about hops, including medicinal uses other than beer :), in this American Botanical Council article.

Hops are sensitive to both vine length and day period for blooming, which is why hops are hard to grow in the American mid-Atlantic for brewing purposes.  Female plant blooms yield brewing hops and must be grown away from male plants to prevent nut formation. See the layered inflorescence?  This structure extrudes chemicals in a resin that constitutes the drug lupulin. Lupulin is used as a sedative, which is not a surprise as the soporific quality of beer is well known.

Another plant with a similar flower is the oregano "Kent Beauty."

More on that tomorow.

In closing, though, I think I want to try growing golden hops for nothing other than a golden twining vine in the bright shade of my yard.  Christina in Canada does this to lovely effect.  She even used hops in wedding array for gentlemen. Now that is a beery good idea.