Small clusters near mature hop cones

[kgranger]

My 6 year old Centennials are getting close to being ready for a first harvest, but I noticed these large clusters of small pods near the matured cones. To me they look different from the very early stages of the current cones. Are these a whole second yield waiting to mature, or is this just some other part of the growth process on the bines?

 

[michaeltrego]

Male inflorescence

 

[kgranger]

Wow thank you! That’s exactly it. Seems like these seeds are sterile and won’t affect neighboring hops.

 

[B-Hoppy]

Even if those were to produce viable pollen, their female counterparts are WAY beyond being receptive to the pollen. Sometimes at this point of the year, some sucker growth from the bottom of the plants may begin to make some late burrs so it would be interesting to see if those would form seeds if any of the pollen from those male blooms happened to shed on them?

Wow thank you! That’s exactly it. Seems like these seeds are sterile and won’t affect neighboring hops.