Paeonia lactiflora 'Shirley Temple'
Garden Peony
- Double, rose shaped, blush pink flowers, fading to ivory
- Blooms late spring - early summer, fragrant
- Bushy mound of glossy, mid-green foliage
- Makes a great cut flower
Homeowner Growing and Maintenance Tips:
Prefers rich, fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Some afternoon shade is beneficial in hot summer climates. Rootstock buds should be planted about 2 inches below the soil surface. Plants can be deadheaded and foliage can be cut back to the ground in fall after frost. Mulching the roots in winter is good protection. Plants require a cold winter dormant season. Plants do not need frequent division but can be divided in fall. Staking may be necessary especially when blooming.
Additional Characteristics & Attributes:
Attributes:
- Fragrant
- Dried Flower/ Foliage
- Cold Tolerant
- Focal Point
- Garden
- Border or Bed
- Drought Tolerant
- Low Maintenance
- Mass Planting
- Cut Flower/ Foliage
- Fall Color
- Specimen
Critter Resistance:
- Groundhog Resistant
- Deer Resistant
- Rabbit Resistant
Exposure:
- Full Sun
- Partial Sun
Habit:
- Mounding
- Upright
Foliage Color:
- Green
Season of Interest (Flowering):
- Summer
- Spring
Attracts Wildlife:
- Attracts Butterflies
- Attracts Pollinators
Soil Moisture:
- Dry Soil
- Average Water
- Moist, Well-Drained
Genus Overview: Paeonia
Common Name: Garden Peony
Erect, clump-forming, shrub-like perennial with dark green, pointed, compound leaves which may turn rusty orange or purplish in fall. Cup or bowl-shaped flowers come with great variety from single to double forms and white, pink, red and burgundy colors, blooming mid spring to early summer. Great in perennial borders, as a specimen, in mass plantings and as an herbaceous hedge.