# Identifying Hops Varieties



## cam89brewer (2/10/11)

Hi Guys,
This is my first year at attempting to grow hops and have bought 2 saaz hop rhizomes online. They have now sprouted but they both look completely different to each other.
Could some one please help me identify them?
Thanks 
Cameron


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## Liam_snorkel (2/10/11)

have a look here for pics of hops at various stages of growth: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...o&showcat=5


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## cam89brewer (2/10/11)

I have looked at the link you posted and have come to the conclusion that one is saaz and the other is mt hood. Does any one else agree with me?
Thanks


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## MaltyHops (2/10/11)

Sorry to further muddy the waters but I think the photo on the right
could also be chinook - will need to see what the leaves look like when
they're older at different stages - right now, they look like what might
be called "toddler" stage - see what they look like at "juvenile", "adult",
"mature" and "old" stages.

A lot of varieties look like other varieties at certain stages but then change
and look like other varieties at other stages. It will be interesting to see if
varieties have distinct patterns of changes. I took a whole bunch of photos
from Boston's plants from last season and hopefully will be able to update
the gallery after uni finished this year.

The left picture - need to see the plant when it's a bit older. The Saaz page
on the hops gallery is mostly based on my Saaz plant and its shoots at a
similar stage to yours don't have the single lobed leaves as yours are showing.
If the leaves continue to be single lobed when they older, that plant could
be tettnang based on photos of Boston's hops plants.

Nice pictures BTW.

T.


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## MHB (3/10/11)

Plants are identified by their flowers (cones in this case) leaves are at best a rough guide. True some plants are (when mature) easily identifiable but at this stage its just a guess.
This is helpful View attachment ycivarieties.pdf

But nothing beats The Hop Altas by Barth Hass one of my favourite books


Mark


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## MaltyHops (3/10/11)

Thanks for those links Mark - I've looked at the Barth-Haas pages
before and their cone illustrations would be good to add to the
galleries at some stage. I got a whole 3 cones :lol: from my 5
varieties last season (all first season) so cones have not been a
focus so far.

Although using leaves to id hops is pretty tricky, I think it's of
interest to new hops growers as leaves are what we first see at
the start.

T.


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## cam89brewer (3/10/11)

Thanks for the replys. 
Maybe next time i shouldn't buy the rhizomes off ebay  
And just to confirm it is impossible for the two hops plants above to be the same variety isnt it?


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## Liam_snorkel (3/10/11)

have you tried to contact the seller to see if they can give you a positive ID on the rogue hops?


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## MaltyHops (3/10/11)

MaltyHops said:


> The left picture - need to see the plant when it's a bit older. The Saaz page
> on the hops gallery is mostly based on my Saaz plant and its shoots at a
> similar stage to yours don't have the single lobed leaves as yours are showing.
> If the leaves continue to be single lobed when they older, that plant could
> be tettnang based on photos of Boston's hops plants.


Ok, have to back track on my words a little here - that plant of yours
might be a Saaz afterall so apologies if I've lead you to any embarassment
with the Ebay-er. Had a look at my saaz plant today and of its twelve or so
bines, two of them have leaves that are all of the single lobed form - see
middle-top-right of pix below. It will be interesting to see how yours end up.

T.


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## hoppy2B (3/10/11)

cambrew said:


> Thanks for the replys.
> Maybe next time i shouldn't buy the rhizomes off ebay
> And just to confirm it is impossible for the two hops plants above to be the same variety isnt it?




Its not entirely impossible for the 2 hop plants you speak of to have been derived via cuttings from the same Saaz parent. Its possible that a mutation has occurred. 
For example, one could take cuttings from a carnation of a particular colour and end up with a different colour.
Strange as it does seem it does occur. :mellow:


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## ledgenko (3/10/11)

The leaf shape and strength of growth may vary consideribly with soil conditions, soil make up , soil temp , fertilizer, duration of sun light, movement, shade, wind and the list goes on and on ...

If it does turn out to be a different hop then ... you could have the next NS ..... or Pacific jade ... who knows .. dont stress about it


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## arogers (4/10/11)

yeah, i've got plants with single lobe and multi lobe junctions right next to each other.

reckon its pretty difficult to positively ID these things through leaves alone.


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