Satin Doll

Semi-double type; large; midseason. Several rows of fluffy, crepe-like petals of clear, light pink, serrated at tips toward the center; stamens very prominent; anthers golden yellow, with paler filaments; carpels green, pink at base, with striking crimson stigmas. A flat flower of clean, saucer-like form, rather recalling the shape of LA ROSIÈRE but not so double. Habit of plant not known.

Award of Landscape Merit (ALM) description: 'Minnie Shaylor' (Shaylor, 1919) Lactiflora Group, Mid-season, 38? — Several rows of fluffy crepe-like petals that become narrower and more finely cut toward the center, open light pink and quickly brighten to white; semi-double. Flower center is striking with prominent, bright red stigmas poking through a boss of golden yellow sta mens. Flowers are flat, drain well and bloom close to the bush. Dark green foliage provides an excellent foil. Under optimum circumstances, initial flowers bloom en masse and within a few days as they begin to lose their freshness, the blossoms drop all of their petals seemingly at once, leaving a clean bush with a “shadow” of white petals on the ground. A day or so later another flush of bloom follows, repeating the cycle. Even under less than ideal conditions, 'Minnie Shaylor' looks neat and trim, surviving Mother Nature and growers’ neglect. Pre-bloom buds are attractive with a striping of raspberry on white at their tips. Post-bloom foliage persists with adequate moisture. Reputed to grow well as far south as Birmingham, Alabama and verified as an exceptional and reliable performer in Shreveport, Louisiana. One of the very best tall landscape peonies.

Herbaceous hybrid. Double. Lacti x officinalis. Crimson red bomb. Buds like rosebuds.

Very dark red Jap. Good upright grower, vigorous, late, 34 inches. An improvement on Fuyajo. Seedling # JE-3.

Award of Landscape Merit (ALM) description: 'Charm' (Franklin, 1931) Lactiflora Group, Late mid-season, 38? — A lustrous and satiny, dark red Japanese form bloom with a center of the same red petaloids, etched yellow. Stiff and relatively straight stems angle outward gracefully to form a very large, harmoniously mounded, fountain of blooms. An eight-year-old plant matures to 40 or so stems that emerge from a relatively compact area. Although individual blooms are at their peak for a shorter duration than those of other lactifloras, plenty of side buds help 'Charm' maintain its striking presence in the landscape. One of the later Japanese form peonies to bloom.

Seedling TF-8. Parentage: (P. tenuifolia 'Plena' x P. tenuifolia 'Rosea')F2. First bloomed 2012, first propagated 2013. Fully double BOMB form. Baby pink flowers are borne 1 to a stem, 3¼ inches (8 cm) in size, up facing to slightly out facing. Two to three carpels on average which are glabrous to slightly tomentose, green and topped with whitish stigmas, the latter sometimes deformed. Disc poorly developed. No pollen, but as a pod parent normally fertile but not with other pink P. tenuifolia, so far. Not fragrant. Blooming time very early, together with or slightly ahead of P. tenuifolia 'Plena'. Finely cut foliage, pale green on emergence, is typical of the species. Average height to 15 inches (38 cm); support not needed. Named after originator's mother who was not the tallest person but the best mother one can imagine.