Did you know? Romans ate young Hop shoots in the spring the same way we eat asparagus. Hops were first used by breweries in the Netherlands in the early fourteenth century. Health & longevity through the healing power of nature-that's what it means to Trust the Leaf. Hops (Humulus lupulus) are a perennial native British plant with a stout root. They have heart-shaped leaves and cone-like flowers. Hops have been used traditionally for nervous system support.