Here in z5: in early Sep, seeds are collected into slightly moist peat and held at room temp; in early Nov, roots appear and seeds are moved to frig; in early Feb, top growth appears and seedlings are removed from frig.
Seedlings are then grown under fluorescent light until early spring when they are planted ourside. They supposedly bloom in 5 years. My 3 year old plants have not yet bloomed.

I have always heard 5-8 years to the first bloom from seed. I have seedlings that are 6 years old that still have not bloomed. I am very hopeful for this next spring.
Leon

One website says that another five years after first bloom is required for bloom size, form,and color to stabilize.
Truly an excercise in patience.

Dave,
You make me wish I started hybridizing when I was younger.
Leon,

Hybridizers tend to have long lives: Ralph Moore, a prominent rose hybridizer, passed away this week at 102; Paul Jerabek lived to be 99. There is always something to work on and look forward to.

I wish my memory worked better, since I've tried several times to get some of my tree peony seeds to germinate indoors and thus far failed every time, while the self sown ones left to spring up arund the parents plantts seem to take the two years , which is often listed as the average time outdoors, I guess? But also of course, since those seeds have to be dug and potted up and up to that time must compete in somewhat less than ideal soil and growing condiitions etc. I'd guess growing them from scratch indoors in containers would yeild much faster and better results. I've found even to transplant them outdoors as seedlings , it's best to wait a year from the first top growth , so the tiny tap type roots of new seedlings are sturdy enough to survive a transplant operation. I will try the mentioned method this year once again and fingers crossed, and thanks for the info once again.