Dodonaea viscosa – Sticky Hop Bush

Dodonaea viscosa is the green-leaved Sticky Hop Bush, an evergreen Australian native shrub with narrow glossy leaves that carry a slightly sticky, resinous coating. It is one of the toughest screening shrubs in the trade, which is why it turns up so often in council, roadside and revegetation planting. The flowers are small and easy to miss. The display comes from the fruit. Female plants carry papery winged seed capsules that start green or cream and ripen through pink to a strong red, held in quantity across the bush and lasting for months. They are the reason the plant is called a hop bush, and they are what people are actually buying it for. It grows to around 2 to 4 metres tall and 1.5 to 3 metres wide, upright to spreading, and takes hard clipping. Left alone it makes an informal screen. Trimmed, it holds a formal hedge line well. Full sun and free-draining soil is all it asks. Once established it handles drought, coastal salt exposure, wind, frost and poor ground. It is native to every Australian state and territory, which is a fair indication of how adaptable it is. Frequently Asked Questions About Dodonaea viscosa What is Dodonaea viscosa?It is an evergreen Australian native shrub in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, commonly called Sticky Hop Bush or Native Hop Bush. The name comes from the papery winged seed capsules, which resemble brewing hops. The foliage is narrow, glossy green and slightly sticky to touch. How big does it grow?Around 2 to 4 metres tall and 1.5 to 3 metres wide, with an upright to spreading habit. It responds well to trimming, so it is easily held at 1.5 to 2 metres as a hedge. What is the difference between this and the purple hop bush?Foliage colour. This is the straight green-leaved species with glossy mid to dark green leaves. The purple hop bush sold in most nurseries is Dodonaea viscosa subsp. spatulata 'Purpurea', a selection with bronze to deep purple foliage. Habit, hardiness and the winged seed capsules are much the same on both. Why do some plants get the red hops and others do not?Dodonaea viscosa is dioecious, meaning individual plants are usually either male or female. Only female plants carry the winged seed capsules that colour up red. Seedling-grown stock is a mix, so if the fruit display is the point of the planting, plant a group rather than a single specimen to improve the odds. Does it make a good hedge?Yes. It is dense, fast and takes clipping without sulking. Plant 80 centimetres to 1 metre apart for a formal hedge, or 1.5 metres apart for an informal screen. Regular tip pruning is the key, as it encourages branching low down rather than letting the plant go leggy. Is it suitable for coastal gardens?Yes, it is one of the better native shrubs for exposed coastal sites, handling salt-laden wind and sandy free-draining soils. It is used widely in coastal revegetation and dune stabilisation for exactly this reason. Is it drought and frost tolerant?Both, once established. It tolerates extended dry periods on minimal water and handles light to moderate frost. Water regularly through the first summer to build the root system, then it largely looks after itself. How do I care for it?Very little is needed. Water through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. Tip prune regularly to keep it dense and stop it going leggy. Use a low-phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring. Scale insects occasionally settle on the sticky foliage and are treated with white oil.