By Ominslob
United Kingdom 
I found this plant in an old garden. So far, garden centres haven't come up with an answer as to what it is. There is no smell to either the leaf, the pod or seeds. I do hope you can enlighten me please! Barbara Tierney, Dumfriesshire.
11 Sep, 2011
Answers
A bit difficult as I am now home and the tree is in a garden 70 miles away! I can only describe it as a very unruly tree, not one trunk but many wiggly ones. It was almost hidden behind other trees so we were quite lucky to get the pods. Would it help by saying that the large yellow seeds (or, more like kernels) are like a very large sweetcorn. One of the seeds had a root coming out of the bottom of it so I have put it into a glass of water.
However, I shall be returning to the tree in about two weeks' time, so I shall get a photo then.
11 Sep, 2011
A Tree peony pod. Try this link
http://www.paeonia.com/html/peonies/propagation.htm
11 Sep, 2011
Your description is of a tree peony, Barbara, so I will stick with P. lutea. When you go back see if you can find any pods that are already split open. These seeds should be ripe. Put several in a large pot of compost. They should germinate next summer but it will take several years until they are of flowering size.
11 Sep, 2011
100% sure its a tree peony as i have one with the same ripening seed pods just now. Grew it from a seed i collected and in its third or fourth year onward has produced large yellow flowers.
11 Sep, 2011
I would agree with Bulbaholic. Have seen similar pods on P. lutea.
11 Sep, 2011
I am tempted to say it is a peony of some sort but I would like a picture of the whole plant, Barbara. Is this possible?
Otherwise, I would go for Paeonia lutea, a yellow flowered tree peony based on the colour of the seeds.
11 Sep, 2011