This plant grows next to the log cabin at the
Palmer, Alaska Visitors center. Happy with it's location it grew eight
feet tall with huge leaves. It is rhizomous in a happy spot. It's
flower is not showy and doesn't resemble a poppy in any way. You must
love interesting foliage to use this plant. I wonder where the
nickname 'Plume Poppy' came from? I have found this plant in garden
books published in the fifties, so it is certainly not new, but definitely
worthy. A Korean visitor who claimed he was a pharmacist told us it was
illegal in his country. Apparently the root has some kind of
pharmaceutical
properties. Karin Covey
Wasilla Alaska Zone 3
Macleaya
cordata:
"Plum Poppy" (mack-LAY-ya: kor-DAH-ta) Tall plants 70
inches or more with large leaves that have white undersides. The top of the
stems are covered with small cream colored flowers that each have many
stamens. Large plants that spread and in some locations can be "weedy" -but
very attractive with large multi-lobed leaves that flutter in the wind
showing-off their white powdery undersides. If contained or given plenty of
space-these plants make showy and welcome additions to the yard next to a tall
fence or in the back of the boarder or middle of a large island bed. Zones
3-8. This species is native to China and Japan. Propagate from seed or root
cuttings. Start seed in moist seed mix and use 75F, germination in 2 weeks but
can be irregular and spread out over 4-6 weeks.
