Sapindaceae (soapberry family) Dodonaea

Dodonaea viscosa sticky hopbush

Tropics to temperates worldwide

Not to be confused with the hop vine (Humulus lupulus) used for flavoring beer, hopbush is planted for its resistance to tough conditions. The sticky purplish leaves are up to 4 inches long, the flowers are in modest greenish racemes and the ¾-inch fruits with three wings form in clusters resembling hops. The broad geographic distribution of native haunts of the sticky hopbush makes you wonder.

Plants are at the Carnegie Institution on Panama Street. Groups of hopbushes can also frequently be recognized along the freeways once the distinctive color has been noted. Variety ‘Purpurea’ from New Zealand is near the southwest corner of Littlefield Center.

About this Entry: The main text of this entry is from the book Trees of Stanford and Environs, by Ronald Bracewell, published 2005.