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Peony Shirley Temple is a herbaceous variety of culture. It was bred in the middle of the last century by the American breeder Louis Smirnov. This species was obtained by crossing the “Maxime Festival” and “Madame Edvard Doria”, from which he took the best characteristics. It got its name in honor of the Hollywood actress who was awarded an Oscar.
3 or more flowers are formed on one stem, which is a feature of this variety
Peony description Shirley Temple
Variety “Shirley Temple” is characterized by medium-sized sprawling bushes. Their height does not exceed 80-90 cm, and the width is about 100-110 cm. The shoots of Shirley Temple are strong, so they easily endure the load during the flowering period and do not require additional support.
The leaves are openwork, during the summer they have a dark green color, and closer to autumn they acquire a crimson hue. Thanks to this, the plant retains its decorative qualities until frost.
The shoots of the Shirley Temple peony, like all herbaceous species, die off for the winter. The underground part consists of root processes, which noticeably thicken with time, and renewal buds. The latter are covered with scales and contain the rudiments of leaves and flowers of the next year.
The root of the Shirley Temple peony goes 1 m deep. Thanks to this feature, this variety is highly frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures as low as 40 degrees. It can be grown in all regions of the country.
Peony “Shirley Temple” light-loving, so it should be placed in open sunny places. But it can also withstand light partial shade.
Features of flowering
“ShirleyTemple” refers to terry types of culture. The diameter of spherical flowers reaches 20 cm. The color at the stage of bud opening is pale pink, and then becomes milky white. The petals of the inflorescences are straight notched, narrow are located inside and fit snugly to the outside, forming a spherical flower. The variety is characterized by a delicate aroma, which is felt when the buds open.
According to the description, Shirley Temple lactiferous peony is considered early. The first buds open in early May. Flowering lasts 2-3 weeks, depending on growing conditions.
The number of buds in the variety “Shirley Temple” directly depends on compliance with the rules of care and placement of the bush. With a lack of light, the plant will overgrow leaves to the detriment of bud formation.
Application in design
This variety goes well in group plantings with other types of crops. It can also be grown singly against the background of a green lawn or conifers.
Landscape designers recommend planting the Shirley Temple peony in combination with daylilies, irises, delphinium, perennial asters, honeysuckle, poppy and bluebells.
This variety cannot be used as a tub culture, since with a limited space for flowering, you can not wait
Shirley Temple Lactic Peony can be used as an addition to early flowering plants such as crocuses, tulips, daffodils and forsythia.
When combined with other shrubs, this lactiferous peony will look good with roses, dicentra, barberry and spirea. And to fill the surface of the soil under the bush, it is recommended to use violets, ivy and periwinkle.
Methods of reproduction
Shirley Temple Herbaceous Peony can be propagated in a variety of ways. The most accessible of them is the division of the bush. This method guarantees the preservation of all species qualities of the plant. But its disadvantage is that it makes it possible to obtain a limited amount of planting material.
The division of the bush is recommended in late August-early September. To do this, the mother liquor must be dug up, the roots must be cleaned from the ground and the bush divided into several parts with a sharp knife. Each “delenka” at the same time should have 2-3 above-ground shoots and well-developed root processes. The resulting parts must be planted immediately in a permanent place.
Shirley Temple can also be propagated by lateral processes. This method is recommended for bushes 6 years of age. To get young seedlings, it is necessary in April, when the renewal buds begin to bloom, bend a few young shoots to the ground, fix and sprinkle, leaving only the top. Throughout the season, layering should be mulched, regularly watered and fed. By the end of summer, the shoots take root. Transplantation to a permanent place is recommended in the next season in the fall.
To obtain a large number of young seedlings, it is recommended to propagate the Shirley Temple peony variety by cuttings. This method can be used for plants 4 years old. Cuttings should be cut starting from the end of May. They should be 15 cm long and have 2 internodes. Before planting in the ground, the lower cut should be kept in a solution of “Heteroauxin”, which will accelerate rooting and increase survival. Cover the hotbed with a film on top to create a greenhouse effect.
Rules of landing
The Shirley Temple peony should be planted in September and early October. The term depends on the region of cultivation, but at the same time, at least 3 weeks should remain before stable frosts.
“Shirley Temple” does not tolerate dense soil, it acquires the greatest decorative effect when planted in slightly acidic or neutral loams with good moisture and air permeability. Seedlings should be placed at a distance of 3 m from tall shrubs and trees, and also maintain a distance of 1 m in a row.
Young seedlings of the Shirley Temple peony bloom in the third year after planting
The site for the plant should be open, but at the same time protected from cold gusts of wind. It is best to choose 2-year-old seedlings with 3-5 above-ground shoots and well-developed roots.
10-14 days before planting a peony, it is necessary to prepare a hole 60 cm wide and deep. Fill it with soil mixture by mixing the following components:
- dern – 40%;
- leafy soil – 20%;
- humus – 20%;
- peat – 10%.
Add 80 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium sulfide to the resulting substrate. Fill the planting hole 2/3 full with the mixture.
Landing algorithm:
- Make a small rise in the center of the recess.
- Put a seedling on it, straighten the root shoots.
- Recovery buds should be 2-3 cm below the soil surface.
- Sprinkle the roots with earth, compact the surface.
- Water the plant generously.
The next day, mulch the root circle with humus to prevent moisture loss from the soil.
Aftercare
After planting, it is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out, so it is recommended to water 2 times a week in the absence of rain. You should also regularly remove weeds and loosen the soil in the root circle. This will improve the nutrition of the young seedling and the access of air to the roots.
In the first and second years, the Shirley Temple peony is not required to be fed, since all the necessary components were introduced during planting. Seedlings at the age of 3 years must be fertilized 2 times per season. The first top dressing should be carried out in the spring during the active growing season. For this, it is better to use mullein or chicken manure. The second is carried out during the period of bud formation, using phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizers.
Preparation for winter
Before the onset of winter, the Shirley Temple peony shoots must be cut at a height of 5 cm from the soil surface, and the ground near the plant should be sprinkled with wood ash. Adult bushes do not need shelter for the winter, as they do not suffer from low temperatures. It is enough just to lay a layer of mulch 5-7 cm thick in the root circle.
Young seedlings need shelter for the winter, as their immunity is not yet high enough. To do this, after pruning, sprinkle the bushes with fallen leaves or spruce branches.
Prune the plant in late autumn
Pests and diseases
Peony Shirley Temple (Shirley Temple) is highly resistant to common diseases and pests of the crop. But if the growing conditions are not observed, the plant weakens.
Possible problems:
- Gray rot. The disease develops in the spring with an excess of nitrogen in the soil, wet weather and dense plantings. It is characterized by the appearance of gray spots on the stems and leaves of the plant, which subsequently increase. To fight, it is necessary to remove the affected areas, and then spray the plant and soil at the base with copper sulfate (50 g per 10 l).
- Rust. It appears as brown spots on the leaves and shoots of the peony. This leads to premature drying out. Subsequently, the plant may die, as the process of photosynthesis is disrupted. For treatment, it is necessary to spray the bush with the preparation “Strobi” or “Cumulus”.
- Ants Insects damage the buds. For destruction, it is recommended to use “Karbofos” or “Inta-vir.
Conclusion
Peony Shirley Temple is a worthy representative of lactic-flowering species of culture. The plant does not require careful care, but it pleases with lush flowering.
The bush is able to grow in one place for more than ten years. This explains its increased popularity among flower growers. After all, few horticultural crops have the same characteristics.
Peony Reviews Shirley Temple
