Paeonia 'Shirley Temple'

Shirley Temple Peony is an herbaceous perennial with a more or less rounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats.

Shirley Temple Peony features bold lightly-scented white cup-shaped flowers with shell pink overtones and pink centers at the ends of the stems from late spring to early summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its compound leaves remain green in colour throughout the season.

Shirley Temple Peony will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 inches apart. The flower stalks can be weak and so it may require staking in exposed sites or excessively rich soils. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil pH but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.