Peony Shirley Temple

Inexperienced growers, as a rule, are afraid to start by growing varietal crops of an unusually attractive appearance. They associate the effectiveness of the plant with the need for careful and complex care of it. In fact, now there are many varieties that have simultaneously unsurpassed beauty, endurance and unpretentiousness. The Shirley Temple peony falls into this category.

History of creation

This flower is the result of American selection of the middle of the last century. It was obtained by crossing varieties Festival Maxim and Mm Edward Doria. The culture appeared in 1948 in the United States. Bred by the breeder Louis Smirnov. The hybrid bears the name of the Hollywood actress, the youngest Oscar winner Shirley Temple.

Description of appearance and features

The variety belongs to the class of herbaceous peonies and the type of lactic-flowered peonies. Its large (up to 20 cm in girth) double flowers at the beginning of the dissolution phase are painted in a pink tint, and later become snow-white. Thanks to them, the decorative perennial looks just gorgeous. The peculiarities of the buds are their density, pinkish or spherical shape; the presence of a weak, subtle aroma. The inflorescences are formed by straight, notched petals.

Shirley Temple is an early flowering variety. The first buds appear on it in May or early June. Shirley Temple blooms are abundant and long lasting. Luxurious inflorescences are formed on strong peduncles one at a time. The shoots of the plant are highly durable, do not bend under the weight of ash-white flowers, and therefore do not need support and tying. Perennial foliage openwork, dissected, dark green, medium size. In autumn, it changes its usual color to a crimson hue and remains on the bush until late autumn. The culture itself is very powerful, although not tall (its maximum height is 90 cm).

This angelic-looking peony is extremely frost-resistant. It perfectly tolerates temperatures as low as -40 ° C. Given this fact, adult plants do not require shelter. In addition, the culture is bypassed by the disease, and even insects are rarely damaged. The overseas handsome man is distinguished by its durability. It grows in one place for several decades, without experiencing the need for a transplant.

Growing and care

Herbaceous perennial Shirley Temple is a photophilous creature. Therefore, it is better to plant it on the sunny side of the site, but protecting it from direct rays by light shading in the summer, at noon. By placing your crop in the shade, you will not wait for delicious buds to appear on it.

Choose an air-permeable soil for the shrub, rich in humus with a slightly acidic reaction. In the process of planting the plant, make sure that the buds are at least 3 cm from the soil level. At the bottom of the planting pit for a peony, good drainage is required: a mixture of sand and gravel, for example. Together with the substrate, the ideal version of which is loam, fertilizers are also introduced into the hole - superphosphate, ash. Plant the crop so that there is a distance of about a meter around it. This is necessary to ensure normal air circulation, which is a protective measure against the appearance of diseases and pests.

The plant does not tolerate overconsolidation and flooding of soils. Shirley Temple's drought is also not to your taste. So a beautiful perennial will have to be watered regularly (in a moderate mode), and a day after this procedure - to loosen the soil under the crop. At the same time, weeds should be removed so as not to pull moisture and nutrients from the bush.

Caring for Shirley Temple involves feeding.They are shown to the peony in spring (organic matter is introduced under the shrub), at the stage of budding and in the fall, at the end of flowering (using mineral complexes). In total, it is recommended to feed the snow-white handsome man three times during the season. Before the onset of persistent autumn frosts, perennial shoots should be cut shortly, leaving a small stump. It is better to cover young specimens with peat or compost - this way they are guaranteed to overwinter.

Use cases

The American hybrid is great and planted alone, including on the lawn, and in group garden compositions. In the first case, it will look the most advantageous, since no other plant will outshine our hero with its beauty. When used in group plantings, the emphasis should be on flower beds, mixborders and beddings. Plants of this variety are good in rock gardens, near gazebos, in large landscapes. Shirley Temple is a great solution for both classic and more modern garden design styles.

What does a lovely plant combine with? With other varieties of peonies, with carnations, heuchera, irises, bells, daylilies, poppies, honeysuckle, barberry bushes. The main thing is that the neighbors of a noble culture have flowers that are harmonious or contrasting with a white tone: blood red, burgundy, cherry, lilac, purple, scarlet, pink. Sage, thuja, hellebore, pelargonium, astilbe, petunias, zinnia will also make good company to the shrub. Shirley Temple can be used for cutting. Its flowers stand in the water for a long time, remaining as attractive as when you cut them. Delightful bouquets are made from snow-white buds.