Your ultimate guide to Chinese New Year flowers

This strange-looking fruit is also known as the nipplefruit, cow’s udder, and even apple of Sodom (people sure get creative when naming unusual-looking flora...), but don’t worry, it all sounds much better in Chinese. Solanum mammosum are typically piled together to form a pyramid, and because of the five points that the fruit possesses, a potted version of these symbolises the togetherness and good health of five generations, young and old. Chinese New Year is all about family, after all.

Oranges and mandarins look somewhat like the sun and are aligned with the yang (positive) principle. Therefore, they are a well of abundance and happiness. If that sounds like some action you want in on, then get yourself a potted shrub for the house and watch the luck roll in—because luck can roll, apparently.

This is an important one as pomelos come into season right before Chinese New Year. Do note that both the green and yellow (ripened) versions are believed to bring good luck, so you’ve got a lot of leeway with this one when shopping for it. Hook yourself up with two of these and stick ‘em in your house (somewhere good, mind, don’t put them next to your toilet like a sad-looking book of crossword puzzles). A pair of pomelos doesn’t just stand for good luck—it’s also a symbol of family unity. Sweet.

When it comes to orchids and Chinese New Year, the diversity, pots, arrangements, bouquets, and colours available at the flower markets are dizzying. Don’t panic—and don’t listen to the vendors if they try to convince you that you need to buy 100 orchids for the luck to work (does anyone really need 100 orchids?). How many you should purchase is down to personal preference, so go with your gut feeling on this one. Gift them to that special someone as they represent fertility, abundance, refinement, luxury, and innocence.

Something of a sacred flower around Hong Kong (especially around Chinese New Year), peach blossoms are customarily placed in an expensive vase and given a place of honour in the living room, or—if you want to follow my budget exactly—a mid-size polystyrene cup. These (the flowers, not the cup) represent romance, prosperity, and growth.

This refers specifically to the buds on the willow plant. Use the picture above for reference so you don’t end up with a “lucky” moss-covered twig (watch out for the dyed variety). Pussy willows signify growth and represent the coming of prosperity—we’ll take it.

One of the most auspicious flowers on the list—and also the best-smelling (arguably)—these fabulous blooms are said to bring good fortune and prosperity. When you come across them at flower markets, it is likely that they will look more akin to overgrown green onions with bulbous bases than beautiful flowers, but have faith—they will soon sprout delicate white-and-yellow blossoms. Our suggestion is to have an entire suit or dress made out of the narcissus—your aroma game will be on point.

On their own, these fruits are hopeless, but bring them together and a beautiful quad-fecta (much better than a trifecta) of luck will come your way. As a whole, these fruits symbolise good luck, wealth, fortune, prosperity, and fertility—quite the all-in-one purchase, if we may be so bold. Grab a few of these from the market and use them as offerings in Buddhist temples. You can also hand them out to friends and family as gifts, and they will probably say, “Thanks for the jujube, I totally know what that is.”