Hop plants are bisexual. Either the plant is female or male. The sex of the hops can only be identified when they bloom. Male hop plants are not desirable as they do not develop fruit. They also change the quality of the female flower when they fertilize it.
Female flowers are cone-shaped
How to recognize male and female flowers
Male flowers of the hop can be recognized by the flower panicles. These hang long and are loosely constructed. This is where the seed threads mature.
Female flowers develop cone-shaped inflorescences that are somewhat reminiscent of ears of corn. These are umbelliferous flowers. The bracts of the female flower enlarge after pollination and look like small, green cones before harvest.
Male hops are not desirable
Male hop plants are usually uprooted because they do not develop any usable fruit. In typical beer brewing areas, the breeding of male hops is even forbidden.
If it turns out during the flowering period that a male plant has been pulled, it must be removed.
When the male and female flowers mix, the fruit suffers. For example, there is no foam on the beer. The taste and ingredients also change and make the fruit unusable.
When is the heyday of hops?
The flowering period of the hops begins in June and can last until September. The fruits ripen very quickly and are ready for harvest from August.
tips
Hops as a crop are not propagated by seeds. Sowing does not guarantee a female plant with desired disease and flavor qualities. Instead, propagation is by cuttings and root division.