Content
The Shirley Temple peony is a herbaceous variety. It was bred in the middle of the last century by the American breeder Louis Smirnov. This species was obtained by crossing the "Festival of Maxim" and "Madame Edward 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.
Description of peony Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple is characterized by medium-sized spreading bushes. Their height does not exceed 80-90 cm, and the width is about 100-110 cm. The shoots of "Shirley Temple" are strong, therefore 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 thicken noticeably over 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 is able to withstand temperatures down to 40 degrees. It can be grown in all regions of the country.
Peony "Shirley Temple" is photophilous, therefore it should be placed in open sunny places. But it can also withstand light partial shade.
Flowering features
"ShirleyTempl" refers to terry types of culture. The diameter of the 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, located inside and tightly attached to the outside, forming a spherical flower. The variety is characterized by a delicate aroma that is felt when the buds open.
According to the description, the Shirley Temple peony is considered early. The first buds bloom in early May. Flowering lasts 2-3 weeks, depending on growing conditions.
The number of buds in the "Shirley Temple" variety directly depends on the observance of the rules of care and placement of the bush. With a lack of light, the plant will overgrow its leaves to the detriment of bud formation.
Application in design
This variety is perfectly combined in group plantings with other types of culture. Can also be grown singly against a green lawn or conifers.
Landscape designers recommend planting the Shirley Temple peony in combination with daylilies, irises, delphinium, perennial asters, honeysuckle, poppy seeds and bells.
This variety cannot be used as a tub culture, since with a limited flowering space, you can not wait
The Shirley Temple milk-flowering peony can be used to supplement early flowering plants such as crocuses, tulips, daffodils and forsythia.
When combined with other shrubs, this milky peony will look good with roses, dicentra, barberry and spirea. And to fill the soil surface under the bush, it is recommended to use violets, ivy and periwinkle.
Reproduction methods
The Shirley Temple herbaceous peony can be propagated in a number of ways. The most accessible of these is dividing 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.
It is recommended to divide the bush in late August or early September. To do this, the mother plant must be dug up, the roots must be cleaned from the ground and the bush must be divided into several parts with a sharp knife. Each "delenka" should have 2-3 aerial shoots and well-developed root shoots. The resulting parts must be planted immediately to a permanent place.
Shirley Temple can also be propagated by lateral processes. This method is recommended for 6-year-old bushes. To get young seedlings, it is necessary in April, when the buds of renewal begin to bloom, bend several young shoots to the ground, fix and sprinkle, leaving only the top. Throughout the season, the layers need to be mulched, watered and fed regularly. By the end of summer, the shoots take root. It is recommended to transplant to a permanent place 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 4 year old plants. Cuttings should be cut 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 the survival rate. Cover the top of the nursery with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect.
Landing rules
Planting the Shirley Temple peony should be done in September and early October. The term depends on the region of cultivation, but at the same time, at least 3 weeks should remain until 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. Saplings 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 peony "Shirley Temple" bloom in the third year after planting
The area 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 aerial 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:
- turf - 40%;
- leafy soil - 20%;
- humus - 20%;
- peat - 10%.
Add 80 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium sulphide to the resulting substrate. Fill the planting hole with the mixture by 2/3 of the volume.
Landing Algorithm:
- Make a small elevation in the center of the recess.
- Put a seedling on it, spread the root processes.
- Recovery buds should be 2-3 cm below the soil surface.
- Sprinkle the roots with earth, compact the surface.
- Water the plant abundantly.
The next day, cover the root circle with humus to prevent moisture loss from the soil.
Follow-up care
After planting, it is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out, therefore it is recommended to water it 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, feeding the peony "Shirley Temple" is not required, 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 feeding should be carried out in the spring during the active growing season. For this, it is better to use mullein or chicken droppings. The second should be carried out during the formation of buds, using phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizers.
Preparing for winter
Before the onset of winter, the shoots of the "Shirley Temple" peony must be cut at a height of 5 cm from the soil surface, and the ground near the plant must be sprinkled with wood ash. Adult bushes do not need shelter for the winter, since 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, since their immunity is still not high enough. To do this, after pruning, sprinkle the bushes with fallen leaves or spruce branches.
You need to cut the plant in late autumn.
Pests and diseases
Peony Shirley Temple (Shirley Temple) is highly resistant to common diseases and pests. But if the growing conditions are not followed, the plant weakens.
Possible problems:
- Gray rot. The disease develops in spring with an excess of nitrogen in the soil, wet weather and thickened 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 manifests itself as brown spots on the leaves and shoots of the peony. This leads to their 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 drug "Strobi" or "Cumulus".
- Ants. Insects damage buds. For destruction it is recommended to use "Karbofos" or "Inta-vir.
Conclusion
Peony Shirley Temple is a worthy representative of lactic-flowered species of culture. The plant does not require careful maintenance, but at the same time pleases with lush flowering.
The bush can grow in one place for more than ten years. This explains its increased popularity among flower growers. Few horticultural crops have the same characteristics.
