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Ptelea trifoliata (Wafer ash)
Marcus, Joseph A. (Austin, TX)

Ptelea trifoliata L.

Wafer ash, Common hoptree, Hop tree

Rutaceae (Rue Family)

USDA Symbol: PTTR

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Aromatic shrub or small tree with a rounded crown. The trunk is slender and crooked, bearing interwoven, ascending branches. Bark, crushed foliage, and twigs have a slightly lemonlike, unpleasant musky odor. Trifoliate, deciduous leaves with leaflets on a petiole up to 2 inches long, the terminal leaflet up to 2 1/2 inches long, obovate, tapering more gradually to the base than to the tip, midrib of lateral leaflets off center. Leaves are dark-green in summer, turning yellow in fall. Flowers small, greenish white, in clusters among the leaves, appearing in April. Fruit distinctive, waferlike samara with broad wings, approximately 7/8 inch long by 3/4 inch wide.

This widespread species includes many varieties with leaflets of differing sizes and shapes. The common name refers to a reported use in earlier days of the bitter fruit as a substitute for hops in brewing beer. The bitter bark of the root, like other aromatic barks, has been used for home remedies. The northernmost New World representative of the Rue (Citrus) family.

 

From the Image Gallery

View herbarium specimen from Harry T. Cliffe Bexar Regional Herbarium.

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Trifoliate
Size Class: 12-36 ft.
Size Notes: 10-15
Leaf Color: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit Color: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Apr

Distribution

USA: AL , AZ , AR , CO , CT , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , IA , KS , KY , LA , ME , MD , MA , MI , MN , MS , MO , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , NC , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , UT , VT , VA , WV , WI , DC
Canada: ON , QC
Native Distribution: W. NY to c. MI, s.e. IA & s.e. KS, s. to FL & TX; introduced in n. Midwest states & New England
Native Habitat: Alluvial thickets; rocky slopes; gravelly places
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet , Moist , Dry
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Moist to dry, well-drained loams. Sandy, Medium Loam Sandy Loam, Clay Loam Clay, Limestone-based, Acid-based, Calcareous.
Conditions Comments: It is an attractive, tall shrub or small understory tree, for both moist conditions and dry rocky sites. If grown in full sun and cut back, wafer ash will be quite bushy. Sweet nectar of this plant attracts many species of butterflies. All parts are aromatic. Prefers moist soil such as a watered garden or seep area.
Texas comments: Hop tree is an attractive, tall shrub or small understory tree, for both moist conditions and dry rocky sites. However, it prefers moist soil such as a watered garden or seep area. If grown in full sun and cut back, it will be quite bushy. All of the parts of this tree are aromatic.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Fruits ornamental, Blooms ornamental, Accent tree or shrub, Aromatic
Use Wildlife: Provides food and shelter for birds and mammals. Nectar-butterflies
Use Other: The fruits have been used in beer as a substitute for hops, hence the name hop-tree. (Kershaw)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Fragrant Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Giant Swallowtail
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: High

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Ptelea trifoliata is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
(Papilio glaucus)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA 		Giant Swallowtail
(Papilio cresphontes)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Sow seeds directly outdoors after collection or store and stratify seeds. Softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings taken in mid-summer to late fall will root.
Seed Collection: Harvest samaras in late summer and early fall as soon and they turn light yellow-brown. Store in sealed, refrigerated containers. (Wings may be left on.)
Seed Treatment: Stratify 3 months at 41 degrees.
Commercially Avail: yes
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PlantWise: Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants

Ptelea trifoliata (Common hoptree) is a PlantWise native alternative for:

   Bischofia javanica (Javanese bishopwood)
   Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)
   Schefflera actinophylla (octopus tree)
   Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian peppertree)

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Question: Looking for non poisonous shade trees for pasture with horses. Would prefer flowering or something that changes color. Thank you.
click here to view the full question and answer

Question: Hello, we live west of Ft Worth. We are looking for tall plants to form a visual screen along a chain link fence we share with a neighbor. We have post oaks there and it is very shady and the ground is sandy and sloping. Our neighbor has planted eleagnus along her side but it is only a few feet tall. The fence line is about 100 feet long and we would like a variety of native plants 6 to 10 foot tall. Can you suggest anything?
click here to view the full question and answer

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Nueces River Authority - Uvalde, TX
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright
Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, S.
Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.
* Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
* Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Trees of Central Texas (1984) Vines, Robert A.
* Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Ptelea trifoliata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Ptelea trifoliata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Ptelea trifoliata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-04-23
Research By: NPC

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