The ornamental or indoor hops (Beloperone or Justitia brandegeana) should not be confused with the real hops (Humulus lupulus). These are different plant families or species that are only slightly similar visually.
How do you properly care for ornamental hops?
Caring for ornamental hops includes regular, moderate watering in summer, sparing watering in winter, fertilization every 7-14 days and annual repotting in spring, including pruning. The plant prefers a bright, warm location without direct midday sun and is not hardy.
Planting ornamental hops
Commercial potting soil is completely sufficient for ornamental hops. Since the plant does not like waterlogging, create a drainage layer made of old pottery shards or coarse gravel at the bottom of the pot before you use the ornamental hops. As the name indoor hops suggests, ornamental hops are not a winter-hardy plant.
Then give it a bright and warm place in an east or west window. The ornamental hops cannot tolerate the blazing midday sun. Since it is said to be poisonous to cats, place it out of their reach.
Water and fertilize indoor hops properly
The ornamental hops need a moderate amount of water in the summer months, so they should be watered regularly, but not too much. Regular fertilization, approximately every seven to 14 days, is also recommended. If you use a phosphate-containing fertilizer (€6.00 on Amazon), the hop-like inflorescences will shine particularly intensely. In winter, only water the ornamental hops enough to prevent the root ball from drying out.
Repotting and cutting ornamental hops
If you repot your ornamental hops in spring, you can cut them back straight away and use part of the cuttings as cuttings. The ornamental hops can tolerate a strong cut, which means they grow beautifully bushy.
Propagate indoor hops
The ornamental hops can be propagated quite easily using cuttings that you take during annual pruning. To root, place the eight to ten centimeter long shoots in a pot with a mixture of peat and sand.
Keep the substrate slightly moist and place a clear plastic sheet or bag over the growing container. If you put several cuttings together in a container and trim them a few times, you will quickly get a pretty bushy plant.
The most important things in brief:
- easy care
- water moderately in summer, sparingly in winter
- repotting and pruning in spring
- not hardy
Tip
The ornamental hop feels comfortable at normal room temperatures, but can also be kept a little cooler in winter.