Chinese New Year fruit and flower meanings

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THE LOOP HK
in ,

With Chinese New Year just around the corner, expect to see homes and businesses teeming with colorful flowers and kumquat plants to usher in the new year. This is about more than spreading festive cheer, however — each bloom bears its own special significance.

Here’s a cheat sheet of flower and fruit meanings for some of the holiday’s most popular plants:

Orchids. Photo: Pexels
Orchids. Photo: Pexels

Orchids: fertility, abundance, innocence and elegance

Pussy willows. Photo by anna-m. w. from Pexels
Pussy willows. Photo by anna-m. w. from Pexels

Pussy willow: growth and prosperity

Narcissus. Photo by David Jakab from Pexels
Narcissus. Photo by David Jakab from Pexels

Narcissus: good fortune and prosperity

Peach blossom. Photo by Tina from Pexels
Peach blossom. Photo by Tina from Pexels

Peach blossoms: longevity, growth, love and — you guessed it — prosperity

Peonies. Photo by Marta Dzedyshko from Pexels
Peonies. Photo by Marta Dzedyshko from Pexels

Peonies: beauty and charm — particularly of the feminine persuasion

Gladiolus. Photo by Jill Burrow from Pexels
Gladiolus. Photo by Jill Burrow from Pexels

Gladiolus: career and personal growth

Lucky bamboo plant. Photo by Creation Hill from Pexels
Lucky bamboo plant. Photo by Creation Hill from Pexels

Lucky bamboo: plenty of good luck

Tangerines. Photo: Pexels
Tangerines. Photo: Pexels

Mandarins and tangerines: even more good luck!

Oranges. Photo: Pexels
Oranges. Photo: Pexels

Oranges: abundance and joy

Pomelo. Photo by Vanessa Loring from Pexels
Pomelo. Photo by Vanessa Loring from Pexels

Pomelos: good luck and family unity

Kumquat. Photo by Magda Ehlers from Pexels
Kumquat. Photo by Magda Ehlers from Pexels

Grapes, plums, jujubes and kumquats: luck, wealth and fertility

See more Heritage snippets here.

[Updated Jan 2022]