Macleaya

Macleaya cordata, the plume poppy, is a theatrical large-scale perennial that commands immediate attention in the open, sunny to partly shaded borders of Martha's Vineyard's larger estate properties, its glaucous blue-green deeply lobed leaves rising to seven or eight feet on powdery stems topped with airy buff-pink flower plumes in midsummer. It thrives in the island's sandy, well-drained soils and once established spreads vigorously by underground runners, making it best suited to the large-scale naturalistic plantings of more expansive properties in West Tisbury and Chilmark where its colonizing habit can be accommodated without displacing more restrained companions.

Deer reliably avoid it, consistent with other members of the poppy family. Estate Care professionals manage plume poppy with firm boundaries, installing root barriers if necessary on smaller properties, and value it in large-scale structural programs where bold scale, distinctive foliage character, and low-maintenance performance are all required.