Flowers For The Chinese And Lunar New Years

New Years are always associated with new beginnings, fresh start, and time to welcome good times and have fun! Many traditional flowers are seen as part of the celebration and each flower holds a different meaning.

New Years throughout the east are celebrated based on lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar followed in the west. The first new moon in the month of late January or February marks the beginning of Lunar New Year.

Lunar New Year is celebrated as Chinese New Year, Japanese New Year, Thai New Year, Cambodian New Year and Lao New Year.

Traditional Chinese New Year Flowers

1. Water fairy - Shiu Sin Fa - Narcissus

This flower is the most common New Year flowers seen in Chinese New Year festival and it is adored for its pure snow white petals and heavenly fragrance. The contrast between the beautiful flower and the narrow leaf growing out from the brown bulbs signifies beginning of new year.

2. Chinabells - Tiu Chung Fa - Enkianthus

This bell-shaped mountain flower, identifiable by its clusters of rose, white and pale pink flowers, makes a fine New Year flower. Each cluster has 4-15 flowers. Buyers often go for purchasing branches consisting of the most number of flowers as larger clusters are believed to bring in more luck.

3. Peach blossoms - To - Prunus

Peach tree is a symbol of wisdom. The peach blossoms come in pale pink, pink to coral red colors. The larger branches are pretty costly and are affordable only by the well to do.

4. Peony - Mau Tan - Paeonia

It is a pale pink flower, 4-5 inches in diameter. Peony flower is similar to the forget me not of America. They are given to friends and loved ones while departing. It is a symbol of remembrance. Peony flowers are not bought by customers if the buds have not opened.

5. Azalea - To Kuen - Rhododendron

Azalea, the lovely sparkling flower grows in mountainous terrains. Traditionally this flower used to come in two shades - brick red and lavender tinged. But in recent years other colors of azalea too have come up in the New Year flower market. The color red is a very auspicious color of the Chinese and it is a symbol of prosperity.

6. Camellia - Shan Ch'a - Camellia japonica

This is a shrub with dark green and shiny leaves adorned with delicate pink colored flowers. They are sold as potted shrubs in the market during the New Year sale. The other types are red and white, which sometime are not available during the holiday season. This is a very special flower and is offered to God at temples with special prayers and requests.

7. Waxflower/Wintersweet - Lap Mooi/La Mei Hua - Chimonanthus

These are delicate waxy yellow flowers with striped brown sepals and are very fragrant. They are eagerly sort because of its rarity.

New Year flowers, though many, represent just one thing - prosperity, wealth and good luck

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