Raspberry Charm Peony Arrives in Indonesia
What a wonderful day! Today, we finally received our first peony plant. A true little traveler from the United States, the Raspberry Charm variety. It reached Java island through a local Indonesian supplier of imported seeds, bulbs, and peony rhizomes. What I held in my hands was not just a plant, but a dream wrapped in thin plastic and a handful of peat.
Peonies are still rare in Indonesia. Planting material is costly, and the hot tropical climate is often fatal for them. This single seedling, for example, costs about 750,000 rupiah (around USD 45) including delivery. And it is just an experiment — with no guarantees of success.
This article contains affiliate links to seedlings 🌱
The root arrived in the original packaging of the supplier: a transparent plastic bag with a small amount of peat. After consulting with a local florist from the Dieng Plateau — the coldest region in Java, where frost sometimes appears in the early mornings — I prepared everything needed for planting*.
In the tropics, protecting plants is a necessity. Termites, for instance, can destroy even big trees in just a few days. That’s why we always mix neem leaf powder into the soil during planting — our natural shield against unwanted intruders.
The root already had two delicate shoots, about 3–5 cm tall. I left them above the soil surface and slightly covered them with cocopeat to protect them from the scorching sun. After that, I carefully watered the plant with a special solution for reducing stress and helping adaptation.
The next day, the shoots looked fresh and lively. Our small but meaningful victory. I truly hope the peony will feel homy here in Magetan and someday bless us with its miraculous bloom.
*What was needed for planting:
- 50-liter planterbag
- Regular potting soil (4 packages per bag)
- Cocopeat mulch
- Vitamin B1 (20 ml solution per 3 liters of water)
🌱 Order online:
- Peony ‘Red Charm’ — Marshalls Garden (UK)
- Peony ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ — Marshalls Garden (UK)
- Potting mix – Coco & Coir (UK)
- Cocopeat mulch – Coco & Coir (UK)
These are affiliate links: if you make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support and grow our blog.