# common hoptree (*Ptelea trifoliata*) The common hoptree is a small shrub with unique three-leaf clusters. It produces little flowers and is known for its hop-like fruits that are fun to spot in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Forests ![common hoptree](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ptelea_trifoliata_20050808_006.jpg&width=800) Photo: Georg Slickers, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ptelea_trifoliata_20050808_006.jpg) ## Appearance The common hoptree is a small deciduous tree or large shrub with distinct trifoliate, dark green leaves. Its small, greenish-white flowers produce unique flat, disc-like fruits resembling papery, circular hops. The bark is smooth and brownish-gray. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Sapindales - **Family:** Rutaceae - **Genus:** Ptelea ## Interesting facts - Crushing a leaf makes a smell like oranges mixed with skunk – quite a surprising scent! - Its unusual flat, round seeds were once called 'wafer ash' because they look like tiny wafers! - Native Americans used its bark and roots for traditional medicines, even to treat fevers! - The 'hops' on this tree are actually fruits, not like the real hops used for beer! ## Special abilities - **Aromatic Defense:** Common hoptree leaves release a strong, citrusy yet skunky scent when crushed, which helps it deter hungry animals. - **Wind-Riding Seeds:** Common hoptree produces lightweight, disc-shaped fruits that spin like propellers, allowing wind to carry its seeds far. - **Drought Endurance:** The common hoptree can grow in dry, rocky soils because its roots efficiently find and store water. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-800 cm - **Spread:** 200-500 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Giant Swallowtail (*Papilio cresphontes*) — Larvae feed on hoptree leaves. - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees visit hoptree flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer browse on young hoptree foliage. - **Shelter:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Often grows alongside oaks in woodland understories. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch the plants unless a grown-up says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common hoptree? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is common hoptree? 300-800 cm ### How wide does common hoptree spread? 200-500 cm ### How big are the flowers on common hoptree? 0.5-1 cm ### When does common hoptree bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is common hoptree edible? No ### Is common hoptree toxic? Mild ### What is common hoptree's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Cleveland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cleveland-park) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Gary City Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gary-city-center-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [Quartz Mountain Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quartz-mountain-nature-park) — Oklahoma, US · Park - [Bandelier CCC Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bandelier-ccc-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Foxhall](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/foxhall) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood - [Grant Road Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grant-road-historic-district) — District of Columbia, US · Historic District [View all places to see common hoptree](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-hoptree) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Hoptree: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-hoptree)