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Common Name: Hop Tree

General Information

Ptelea trifoliata is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 6.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

This species can cause photosensitization of the skin[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Eastern N. America - Quebec and New York to Florida, west to Texas and Kansas.

Habitat

Moist places, rocky slopes, edges of woods[], alluvial thickets and gravels[]. It is found in many different soil types[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	6.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Carrion Flies
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any fertile well-drained moisture retentive soil in full sun or light part day shade[, ].
The young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts.
A very ornamental plant[], it is slow-growing and short-lived in the wild[].
The sub-species P. trifoliata mollis. Torr.&Gray. is the form that is eaten by children[].
The leaves are aromatic[]. All parts of the plant emit a disagreeable odour[]. The flowers are especially pungent and are pollinated by carrion flies[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Fruit. A very bitter flavour, though it is eaten by young children[]. The fruit is also used as a hop substitute when making beer and it is added to yeast to make it rise more quickly when making bread[, , ]. The fruit is produced abundantly in Britain[], though very little of it is fertile[]. The fruit is very thin and about 25mm long[].

Medicinal

The root-bark is anthelmintic, antibacterial, antiperiodic, stomachic and tonic[, , , , ]. It has been mixed with other medicines in order to give added potency[, , ]. It has a soothing influence on the mucous membranes and promotes the appetite, being tolerated when other tonics cannot be retained[]. It is also taken in the treatment of intermittent fevers such as malaria, heartburn, roundworms, pinworms and poor digestion[]. Externally it is applied to wounds[]. The roots are harvested in the autumn, the bark peeled off and dried for later use[].
The roots are a tonic, used in the treatment of asthmatic breathing, fevers, poor appetite etc[].
The leaves are said to be useful in the treatment of wounds and also in the destruction of intestinal worms[, ].

Other Uses

Sometimes used as a hedge plant in N. America[].
Wood - hard, heavy, close grained[, ]. It weighs 51lb per cubic foot[] but the tree does not grow large enough for commercial exploitation[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[]. Stored seed requires 3 months cold stratification at 5°c and should be sown as early as possible in the year[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Very little of the seed produced in Britain is viable[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].
Layering.