Dodonaea ceratocarpa – Horny Hop Bush

Medium to large upright, dense shrub with glossy green, ovate leaves, narrow creamy-green flowers and attractive, pinkish-green to purple-brown, rounded fruit capsules, or hops. The hops are a feature of this shrub and were used to make beer by early settlers. It is a hardy shrub that tolerates some drought and frost, and naturally grows around granite outcrops, hill slopes and on coastal limestone in sand, sandy loam, sandy clay and clay loam. A useful screening plant and informal hedge, as well as bird refuge. It grows from 1 to 2.5m high and about 1m wide and flowers mainly in winter, followed by the colourful hops in late spring and summer. Origin – south west and south coast.