I don't fertilize my lawn and only rarely fertilize my flower beds. I do mulch with a compost mix, not sure what the numbers would be on that. I also do have some bloom fertilizer of some sort and may try that to see if it does anything. I don't recall exactly when I got this plant, but it was definitely a tiny little seedling and hopefully THIS will be its year of bloom! I've seen some tree peonies at nurseries that are 1/3 the size of mine, in full bloom. Not fair! I'll hang in yet another season, this plant is not in a prime spot and for the most part I forget about it. It does seem to be a favorite spot for my little green tree frogs, so I guess it has some value...

I have my fingers crossed for your tree to bloom, think it's your year!

I would not prune it yet. I would wait this year. Mine took years to bloom. I also love the leaves, and I love how tough this plant is. However if it is too big for the site you might want to move it.
I have a thread on the "other" website about a hybrid own-root tree peony I have that was knocked flat in a windstorm. It grew up like a palm tree that year and was bizarre. So the next spring I whacked it off to near the ground, just as the buds were swelling. I cut just above the loest buds. It grew beautifully that year, all bushy and nice(over 4 feet tall) and it even bloomed the same year. I am considering doing that to my P. lutea this year, as it is a bit scraggly. I learned from the other experience that these are hardy shrubs and respond to severe pruning just fine.
p.s. I have a tree peony 'Tria' which is a soft yellow (my P. lutea is bright brassy yellow). If you like I could try to layer you a start, some of the branches are touching the ground already.

Sigh. Looks like another year with no bloom. Still as healthy as a horse, nice and bushy, good foliage, no disease or insect damage...but nary a sign of a flower bud. My regular peonies are just about ready to open. Patience is said to be a virtue.

When would be the best time to move this non-cooperative plant? It is now between 6-7 feet tall and wide, 7 years old, and it's in a prime spot (SW sun, good air circulation, close to a faucet I use often so gets watered more often than other areas). I fear if I cut it back to transplant it, I'll just set it back even more than it already is. This was a seedling from my neighbor, I'd like to keep it and see if it EVER blooms, but I'm about done with it in the current location. It has, in fact, overgrown that spot and is taller than I would like. I have no idea how tall it will eventually get, but will move it somewhere it can be as giant as it wants to be. I'll treat it as a foliage plant unless and until it ever deigns to grace me with a bloom. So - move this fall or wait until spring?

Fall should be best, after it goes dormant. Hopefully moving shocks it into blooming!

Bonehead said: I'll treat it as a foliage plant unless and until it ever deigns to grace me with a bloom. So - move this fall or wait until spring?

Deb, I don't really have experience with peonies yet, but because I'm in love with them I did a lot of research and finally bought two to plant this year.

One of the things I read about them is that they don't really like rich soil, but another site says they prefer rich soil . They need evenly moist but well-drained soil with a pH close to neutral.

One of the products I've used with great results is MiracleGro Bloom Booster Flower Food. Is it possible that it would be helpful to your peony?

Good luck with it--I hope that you'll have pictures of flowers to show us this spring!

I can never tell when this beast goes dormant either - it seems to hang on to leaves through most of the winter, sometimes sprouting at the tops at odd times. Next time my boys are here, I'll see if I can get one of them to dig this thing up and move it somewhere. It's kind of like a bad dream.

When you dig it up to move you might prune it hard. I pruned a tree peony to the ground once, it is doing great, I may do it again as it is overgrowing the space allotted! I think of my luteas as dry-shade-tolerant foliage shrubs. I have quite a bit of dry shade that needs easy plants!

OMG! I have actual buds forming this year. Guess the brute gets a reprieve. I'll be happy to finally see the color and will post to see if I can get an ID (assuming nothing untoward happens to the buds). 8 years of patience....

Way to go Deb! There are no bloomless tree peonies, or so I have been told. This is the year. Happy for you! I know you have waited a long time.

Amazing! Looking forward to the pics!

Bloomed! It is a nice bright single yellow. I have a total of 3 buds, 2 have opened. I'll post a pic when and if my camera ever graces me with function again (waiting for a new battery, hopefully that is the problem).

Congratulations! Glad it has pretty flowers, you deserve them after waiting all of that time, Deb!

LizinElizabeth said:Congratulations! Glad it has pretty flowers, you deserve them after waiting all of that time, Deb!

I second that!

Congratulation Deb! You patience paid off.

I hope you can get a picture. You've edited a long time for this. Can't wait to see it. Congratulations!!

Can't wait to see your pix.

Yay!!
Yours is a bit ahead of mine-I just peeked out the window at it, the buds are just starting to open. Probably due to it's location in dry shade.

I'm hoping once my camera is functional again I can post a pic and perhaps ID this plant. I suppose I could wrestle with my husband's cell phone and see if I can figure out how to (a) use the camera feature, and (b) upload to my computer. But...probably not, I have less than zero interest in that technology.

Edited: I took a couple photos with Gary's phone, now to try to figure out how to upload them (he doesn't use the computer and I don't use his phone, so we are equally clueless...)