Common hops is a species of flowering plant in the hemp family Cannabinaceae, native to West Asia, Europe and North America. It is a perennial, herbaceous, 4 to 8-meter-long climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early spring and dies back to a cold-hardy rhizome in autumn. It is dioecious (having separate male and female plants).
In contrast to most European climbing plants, the hop twists in a clockwise direction. The broad, cordate, three- to seven-lobed leaves are sharply dentate and opposing.
The flowers are green-yellow in color. Male flowers grow in loose branching groups, whereas female flowers are catkins, shaped like cones. The female fruits give beer its characteristically bitter, hearty, and aromatic flavor. Hops also help keep beer from spoiling, since the hop bitter acids destroy bacteria.