Like many traditions, flowers play a key role in Chinese New Year, as a symbol of new beginnings and the renewal of life. Also known as Lunar New Year or spring festival, the Chinese New Year is a fresh beginning in line with the traditional lunisolar calendar, and on the 22nd of January 2023, we welcome the year of the rabbit.
Why are flowers important in Chinese New Year?
The annual celebration brings a time in which families adorn their homes with decorations, including lucky Chinese New Year flowers and plants that symbolise prosperity – with a popular Chinese saying directly translating to “blossom flowers bring wealth”. But which auspicious varieties should you favour when dressing your home? From exotic orchids to delicate narcissus, we’ve rounded up the shades and styles to bring good fortune to your household or make the perfect gift.
Chinese New Year Flowers
Flowers are an important part of Chinese culture, and their symbolism is key when choosing which to incorporate into your celebrations. Flowers of all palettes bring joy to any kind of festivities, but there are some specific lucky Chinese new year flowers that hold meanings to their colour, heritage, and variety. The traditional and most popular flowers for Chinese New Year include orchids, narcissus, gladiolus, chrysanthemums, anthuriums, peach blossom, and lotus flowers due to their shared symbolism of good fortune.
Orchids symbolise fertility, purity and elegance, making them a beautiful yet impactful choice for the Chinese new year. Also, a sign of wealth and abundance, orchids of all kinds are said to bring good fortune to your home and loved ones. Orchids perfectly suit the festivities, holding meanings of vitality, long life, and happiness.
Flowers from the Narcissus genus, including spring favourites like fragranced daffodils and jonquil, are often associated with Chinese New Year, thanks to their symbolism of wealth, good luck, and prosperity and are known as a sacred flower within Chinese culture.
A striking flower for decorating the home, Gladiolus (or sword lily) features multiple abundant flower heads on one single stem. Symbolising a time of prosperity in someone’s journey – both career and personal life – they make the perfect gift to wish good luck as they enter a new stage in the year of the rabbit.
Peonies are known as a national symbol of China and are a sign of wealth, prosperity, beauty, and charm. Also considered the ‘flower of riches and honour’ , red and pink peonies are particularly lucky within Chinese tradition any time of year.
Representing wealth and longevity, chrysanthemums are traditionally gifted to older members of the family to symbolise the latter. Known as one of the four key florals of Chinese culture – alongside orchids, bamboo, and plum blossom – pick shades like Berry red, Nightfall purple, or Canary yellow to mark the new year.
An auspicious flower symbolising prosperity for the year ahead, Flamingo Lilies – also known as anthuriums – in shades of red and pink make a great gift for Chinese New Year. According to Feng Shui, anthuriums bring good luck to those that decorate their homes with them, and are also a sign of enthusiasm and happiness.
Other flowers and plants that represent wealth, good fortune, and prosperity for the year ahead include peach blossoms, lucky bamboo plants, lotus flowers, mandarin and tangerine trees, pussy willow, kumquat trees, and money plants.
Which flowers are lucky in China?
Red, pink, and purple flowers are traditionally lucky in Chinese Culture
Red flowers:
Red flowers symbolise good luck, prosperity, joy, and protection
Pink and purple flowers:
Pink and purple flowers represent celebration, as well as luck, and prosperity.
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