Perennial.
This plant is a twining climber with bristly stems and coarsely toothed leaves. Tiny green male flowers are produced in branched clusters and larger female flowers appear in hops "strobili" beneath soft, pale green, aromatic bracts.
The dried female flowers (hops) and hops grain are normally used.
It is a potent sedative and has hormonal as well as anti-bacterial effects and is a bitter, tonic herb that is diuretic, relieves pain and relaxes spasms.
It contains prenylated derivatives, phenolics (rutin, quercetin and proanthocyanidins), as well as a volatile oil containing caryophyllene, humulene and b-myrcene.
