Explore Cornell - Home Gardening - Flower Growing Guides

Search Cornell

Home Gardening

Flower Growing Guides

Growing Guide

[+] larger image

Plume Poppy

Herbaceous Perennial Flower

Also known as Tree Celandine
Macleaya cordata
Papaveraceae Family
Synonym: Bocconia cordata, Bocconia japonica

Tall and striking, Plume Poppy makes a great border background with its unique foliage and spikes of fluffy blooms. Very aggressive and requires considerable effort to keep under control.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:

full sun
part shade

Tends to be more aggressive in shade.

Soil conditions:

requires well-drained soil
tolerates low fertility

May be too aggressive if planted in rich soil.

Hardiness zones:

4 to 9

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: perennial

Ease-of-care: moderately difficult

Requires effort to keep from taking over perennial beds.

Height: 6 to 8 feet

Spread: 2 to 3 feet

Bloom time:

mid-summer
late summer

Flower color: white

Foliage color: dark green

Foliage texture: coarse

Heart-shaped leaves are large (8� to 12" wide) and lobed.

Shape: upright

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

Fluffy blooms borne along tall, erect stems.

Special Considerations

Special characteristics:

deer resistant
aggressive - Rapidly forms large clumps. Control spread by dividing every 3 to 4 years and deadheading to prevent self-seeding.
non-invasive
not native to North America - Native to China and Japan.

Growing Information

How to plant:

Propagate by seed, division or separation - Divide in the spring to propagate and reduce clump size. Self-seeds readily.

Maintenance and care:

Very aggressive. Consider planting in its own bed.
Divide to keep clump size manageable.
Cut back by half in spring for shorter plants and delay flowering.
Deadhead to prolong bloom and prevent self-seeding.
Usually does not require staking.
More growing information: How to Grow Perennials