Paeony Tree Rescue

[kuulteach]

my sister has given me a paeony tree which she bought two years ago and has never flowered. i think she may have planted it too deep. lots of leaves but no flowers . have taken out of existing pot and washed away most of the outer soil. it used to sit under overgrown ivy ( she likes it?) outer leaves are quite dry, any advise before i plant

[Buenchico]

There's lots of relevant information here, especially under 'Planting' and 'Ongoing care'. However take a look also at the 'Problems' section, which states that in can take up to four years from planting for a tree peony to flower. (So you seem to be rushing things a bit):
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/popular/peony/tree/growing-guide

[Chipchopper]

Tree paeony and the regular peony's both are known to hate root disturbance and can take a few years to recover. So it looks as though you have to play the waiting game.
In the meantime it should be kept well watered.

[Palustris]

Tree paeonies do not have to be planted deeply, In fact they should be planted at the same depth as they were in the pot in which they were bought or you can get stem rot. It is the other type which needs to be planted with the buds no more than an inch below soil level.
The myth about root disturbance was started by one of the nurseries which specialised in them so that people would buy more plants.

[Chipchopper]

I remember when I was a kid, I was in my mums bad books for a while when she discovered that I had transplanted her prize Peony plant.
It was a good couple of years before it came up again and I could say: "There you are, I told you I hadn't killed it!"

[kuulteach]

thanks for the advise. with covid around i may not live to see flowers. i also have a new wisteria ... which takes 3 years to flower.... just my luck

[ladybirder]

I am impatient hence I buy more mature plants so that I don't have to wait very long.

[kuulteach]

where do ibuy a mature wisteria and, importantly is it expensive

[ladybirder]

I got mine from a garden centre but of course the more mature there expensive. Unfortunately they are slow to mature as well. You'd need to look at a 3-5 year old one and I have no idea how much they cost nowadays. I'm sure your local garden centre could tell you.