Data specific to Peonies (Edit)
Originator/Registrant: Auten
Year of Registration or Introduction: 1943
Cultivar Group (Type): Lactiflora
Season of bloom: Early (week 2)
Flower Form: Full Double
Flower Color: Red
Flower color description: Medium dark red bomb; opens well, large bloom on stiff stems.
Flower size: Large
Needs support: No

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 7b
Plant Height: 3 to 4 feet (.9-1.2 m)
Fruit: Dehiscent
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Uses: Cut Flower
Child plants: one child plant

Image
Common names
  • Peony

Photo Gallery
Location: Millinocket, Maine
Date: 2022-06-14
Big Ben Peony with Mrs. FDR in foreground.
Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2017-09-13
Location: Millinocket, Maine
Date: 19 June 2023
Forty-five inches tall this season

Date: 2015-06-05
Location: Oxfordshire, England
Date: 2016-05-17

Courtesy Peony Paradise used with permission
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2017-09-13

Courtesy Peony Paradise
  • Uploaded by vic

Date: 2021-05-24

Date: 2015-06-05

Date: 2015-06-05

Date: 2015-06-07
Location: Adelman's Peony Garden, Salem, OR
Date: 2017-05-22
flower show

Photo courtesy of Brooks Gardens Peonies. Used with permission.
  • Uploaded by Joy
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by frankrichards16 (Clinton, Michigan - Zone 5b) on Mar 28, 2018 8:37 AM concerning plant:
    Paeonia 'Big Ben' (Auten, 1943) is a 36" tall, full double lactiflora species cultivar with deep red flowers and small sidebuds. Stout reddish stems and a sweet fragrance. Sometimes described as a dark red bomb. Edward Auten Jr. (1881-1974) was a Princeville, Illinois banker that introduced close to 300 new peony cultivars. Started out as a hobby and ended up as a full time profession. He was especially noted for his red peonies like 'Big Ben', 'Chocolate Soldier', and 'Early Scout'.

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