[HobsonDrake]

I have been growing Centennial and Cascade hops in my back yard for a few years. Last year I noticed what I thought were seeds on the Cascade. This year I find them on the Centennial and the Cascade.
I am wondering if I should remove them or harvest them? My instinct is to remove them so production goes to the cones.

Here is a pic of the Centennial

[fmader]

I'm glad that you posted this. Saves me the time of uploading a pic. I have the same issue on my cascade. Of the 11 plants (10 varieties) that I have, this is the only plant that has what appears to be seed pods on it.

[lornemagill]

just passing on info I read on another post...some hops can be hermaphroditic.  those "seeds" are male hops.  the plant may be stressed from under watering or under nutrient.

[hopfenundmalz]

Yep, those are male flowers in with the female flowers.

Seeds are in the female cones. You usually don't have seeds in whole cone hops. I have seen a lot in British, some in US, and was astonished when I saw some floating in the boil using German hops. The Germans feel that they do not want seeds as that is a sign of low quality hops.

Edit, the seeds in the hop cone are the result of pollination with a male hop. You usually don't know what the male was, so if you plant the seeds the result will be odds less that shooting craps that something good results. That is why we get rhizomes to plant.

[fmader]

Yep, those are male flowers in with the female flowers.

Seeds are in the female cones. You usually don't have seeds in whole cone hops. I have seen a lot in British, some in US, and was astonished when I saw some floating in the boil using German hops. The Germans feel that they do not want seeds as that is a sign of low quality hops.

Edit, the seeds in the hop cone are the result of pollination with a male hop. You usually don't know what the male was, so if you plant the seeds the result will be odds less that shooting craps that something good results. That is why we get rhizomes to plant.

Ok, mine was planted this year from a rhizome... Is this a bad thing? And should it be taken out?

I'm sure how it would have gotten pollinated here.

[b-hoppy]

The male bloom will occur from time to time, certain varieties more than others.  From my experience over the past 20 or so years, I've seen it about every other year on my Cascade, some on the Bullion and a few other varieties but since I've planted Zeus, pretty much every year for the last 6 it's has a decent proportion of male parts. 

Some say stress and I think stress to one variety may be optimum growing conditions to other varieties as the Zeus has the most male bloom during moderate growing years like we've had this year.  Those years with plenty of 90 degree days and little moisture seem to be optimum growing conditions for her as she's all woman when we get weather like that.  From what I've learned, any pollen produced will not create viable seeds so not to worry as I haven't had any seedlings since I got rid of my male.  Just roll with it!

[hopfenundmalz]

Yep, those are male flowers in with the female flowers.

Seeds are in the female cones. You usually don't have seeds in whole cone hops. I have seen a lot in British, some in US, and was astonished when I saw some floating in the boil using German hops. The Germans feel that they do not want seeds as that is a sign of low quality hops.

Edit, the seeds in the hop cone are the result of pollination with a male hop. You usually don't know what the male was, so if you plant the seeds the result will be odds less that shooting craps that something good results. That is why we get rhizomes to plant.

Ok, mine was planted this year from a rhizome... Is this a bad thing? And should it be taken out?

I'm sure how it would have gotten pollinated here.

The male flowers  are not from pollination. Sometimes it happens.

Do a search on "hermaphodie hops" and you get a lot of hits from hombrew forums. Here is one.
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62430&sid=ec291f14c60c842f4bdee6efac55b013&start=15