Sticky Hop Bush

Dodonaea viscosa

Also known as Hopbush, Hop Bush, Native Hop, Switch Sorrel, Sand Olive

At a glance

Family

Sapindaceae (soapberry family)

Type

Evergreen shrub or small tree

Parts used

Leaves

Size

6 to 15 feet tall, occasionally taller in warm climates

Bloom

Small greenish yellow flowers in spring, followed by papery winged seed capsules that blush pink, red, or copper

Habitat

Coastal scrub, dry woodlands, rocky slopes, and disturbed ground across the tropics and subtropics of Australia, the Pacific, Africa, and the Americas

Acquisition

Grow or buy

Traditional remedies in HerbSense

Key benefits

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Traditional wound care

Historic hops substitute

Tough ornamental hedging

Traditional fever relief

Traditional uses

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Sticky hop bush earned its name from early Australian colonists, who steeped its bitter, resin-coated leaves in place of true hops when brewing beer was otherwise out of reach. Long before that borrowed name stuck, the plant already held a place in the daily life of many cultures across its wide native range. Aboriginal Australians chewed or applied the sticky leaves to ease toothache and soothe stings, while traditional healers in parts of Africa and South Asia used leaf washes and decoctions for wounds, fevers, and aching joints. In Hawaii, where the shrub is known as a'ali'i, its tough wood and colorful seed capsules were woven into tools, dye, and lei, a plant valued as much for its resilience as for its healing reputation.

How to grow & use it

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Traditional remedies and step-by-step preparations, a complete growing guide, and how to harvest, dry, and store it, all unlocked with HerbLens Unlimited.

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✦ Growing guide
✦Harvest & storage

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Pairs well with

✦Calendula
✦Plantain
✦Tea Tree

Substitutes

✦Calendula
✦Plantain

Choose it when

“For the plant that thrives where little else will, sticky and stubborn, holding fast against salt wind and dry stone.”

Did you know?

In early colonial Australia, hops were scarce and expensive to import, so brewers turned to the bitter, resinous leaves of this shrub as a substitute, which is exactly how sticky hop bush earned its common name.

Safety

Sticky Hop Bush has limited safety data for internal use, so it is traditionally used only as an external wash, not taken by mouth. Avoid during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and in young children, and keep it away from the eyes.