Hops 'Willamette'

Humulus lupulus ‘Willamette’ is a female aroma-hop cultivar selected from a Fuggle cross in Oregon and released commercially in 1976. It climbs on long annual bines, with dark-green foliage and pale-green female cones that mature in summer; plan for a tall support because garden-grown bines can reach roughly 20–30 feet. [USDA ARS records the cultivar identity and dark-green leaves](https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/2450/hopcultivars/21041.html), while the [University of Wisconsin–Madison hop guide](https://corn.aae.wisc.edu/Crops/Hop.aspx) describes Willamette’s pale-green cones and Fuggle-type aroma. ## Placement Choose full sun, good air movement, and a sturdy trellis or other vertical structure. A loose, well-drained sandy loam is suitable; keep the root area evenly watered while shoots are extending, without leaving it waterlogged. The crop guide describes 18–25-foot bines, and [Utah State University Extension](https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/hops-in-the-garden) gives a 20–30-foot garden range. Oregon State’s [home-garden guide](https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/extd8/files/documents/em9115.pdf) explains that female cones form in summer and contain the aromatic lupulin used in brewing. ## Seasonal care Select and train a few vigorous shoots up the support, removing excess shoots early so the canopy stays manageable. In suitable Oregon conditions, Willamette is harvested in late August or early September; local maturity varies with climate. After harvest, cut the old bines back and watch for rhizomes spreading beyond their allotted space. ## Maintenance Provide a durable trellis, guide new growth as it lengthens, and cut spent bines after harvest. Keep the rhizome line contained and water during active growth when the soil begins to dry; favor drainage over persistently wet soil.