Why won't my Peony bulb grow in Tennessee?

Question

I bought a peony bulb and planted it a few weeks ago. I had to dig it up to make room for a rose bush. I was going to transplant it, but when I dug it up I saw that it was not growing at all. What is wrong?

Answer 1

If it looks plump and healthy, put it back in the ground.  I had a Purple Smoke Tree mailed to me once.  I put it in a pot, and it stayed "just a stick" for a year.  I'd look at it and say, "Should I water it?", and then I'd water it and it stayed a stick until the next spring, when it finally began to grow leaves.

When I sold the house, it was 12 ft tall.  

Be patient, it's not unheard of to have a plant wait for quite a while before getting started.  My landlord has one in the back yard that looked dead last year, and is sprouting new growth this spring.