How to Grow and Care for Hop-bushes

Hopbush (*Dodonaea viscosa*) is a fast-growing compact shrub that produces greenish flowers from winter to spring. Dodonaea viscosa seeds ripen from fall to winter and feed a variety of birds. The flowers provide pollen for moths, butterflies, and other insects. The foliage is browsed by kangaroos and wallabies.

Purple hop bush is instantly recognizable for its purple foliage, a marked contrast from that of its green-leaved parent. Its salt tolerance makes it ideal for coastal gardens, and its tall, wide-spreading habit makes it an eye-catching specimen shrub. It can be grown in containers to control its size.

Common hop bush boasts a sturdy, compact structure, typically found in dry, rocky environments that shape its resilience. Recognizable for its triangular, leathery leaves and robust seed capsules, it has adapted to thrive under the intense sun, with a canopy that often glistens with secreted resins. This unique adaptation both deters herbivory and reduces water loss, allowing common hop bush to flourish in its harsh native habitat.