Bines

Bines are climbing plants that ascend by curling their main stem around a support, rather than using tendrils or rootlets. This twining growth habit is common among several temperate-climbing perennials, with hops (Humulus lupulus) the best-known example.

Most bines are herbaceous perennials that spend the growing season actively climbing from a perennial underground rhizome or crown. After frost, the above-ground shoots die back, while the rhizomes persist to produce new shoots the next year. They typically reach several meters in height and rely on a sturdy structure to support their weight as they grow.

Cultivation involves providing tall, robust supports—such as wires, poles, or trellises—and training the main stem as it grows. Side shoots may be managed to focus energy on the central bine, improve air circulation, and increase yield or cone quality in crops like hops. In commercial systems, growers often install a trellis and tie the bine to it as it climbs.

Distinguishing bines from vines: bines climb by wrapping their own stems around a support and generally lack specialized climbing organs like tendrils or aerial rootlets, whereas many vines use tendrils, roots, or other structures to grasp supports. This distinction is practical for horticulture and cultivation practices.

Economic and cultural importance: hops bines produce the hop cones used in brewing, making them economically significant in many temperate regions. Beyond hops, the term bine is mainly used in reference to this growth habit in ornamental or agricultural contexts.