Common Hop-tree

Scientific name

Ptelea trifoliata

Description

Common Hop-tree is a deciduous, small tree or tall shrub that reaches heights of 4-5 m. Common Hop-tree may also be referred to as Wafer-ash, Stinking-ash, or Three-leaved Hop-tree. Young bark is reddish-brown in colour with prominent lenticels, while mature bark is greyish and scaly. Leaves are alternate and compound, with 3 leaflets per leaf. The leaflets are ovate to elliptic, 5-10 cm long, glossy green in colour, and sharply pointed. The flowers are greenish-white, have an unpleasant odour, grow in branched clusters, and bloom in mid-June. Female flowers develop into seeds enclosed in thin, circular disks that mature in late summer, and persist throughout the winter. These seeds have historically been used as a replacement for hops, hence the common name. In Ontario, Common Hop-tree is listed as a species of special concern, mainly threatened by habitat loss due to shoreline development.

Planting conditions

Common Hop-tree grows in dry to moist soils with an acidic pH. It prefers well drained sandy or loamy soils, but will also tolerate rocky and clay soils. Common Hop-tree prefers part shade or full shade, but will also grow in full sun, taking on a shrubbier appearance. Common Hop-tree can naturally be found growing along woodlands and shorelines.

Details

• Plant height:
  • Any
  • Over 3m
• Moisture level:
  • Dry
  • Normal
  • Moist
• Light conditions:
  • Full sun
  • Partial sun
  • Shade
• Soil type:
  • Sandy
  • Loamy
  • Clay
  • Rocky
• pH:
  • Acidic
• Depth:
  • Potted
  • Bareroot
• Eco Zone:
  • 5a
• Plant type:
  • Tree
• Height:
  • 4-5 m
• Spread:
  • 4-5 m