The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of celebration, new beginnings, and good fortune. Traditionally, lucky plants and flowers are an essential part of the festivities, believed to bring happiness, prosperity, and longevity. While we’ve covered various New Year traditions in the past, including lucky foods, colors, scents, and fruits, we haven’t delved into the world of lucky plants. In this article, we will explore some plants that are said to bring health, wealth, and even love, and how they can enhance the energy of your home.
Key Takeaways
Plants for Chinese New Year
What plants are considered auspicious for the Chinese New Year? Here are some lucky plants to consider:
Bamboo: Good Fortune and Happiness
The lucky bamboo plant, scientifically known as Dracaena Sanderiana, is a popular Feng Shui plant believed to bring good luck and prosperity. Despite its name, lucky bamboo is not actually a bamboo plant but a type of tropical lily. In Chinese tradition, the number of stalks represents different aspects of luck. For example, two stalks symbolize love, three stalks represent wealth, happiness, and long life, five stalks bring luck in business, and ten stalks signify completion. Placing the bamboo plant in specific directions, such as south-east for wealth or east for family, is also believed to enhance its positive energy.
Money Tree: Positive Energy
Pachira money trees are highly regarded in holistic health and Feng Shui practices as they are believed to create positive energy or “Chi.” The name “money tree” originates from a story where a poor man prayed for wealth and stumbled upon this unique plant. Taking it home, he experienced great fortune by selling plants grown from its seeds. In China, people often braid multiple money trees together to maximize luck. It is common to see them arranged in sets of three or five, always avoiding the number four, which is considered unlucky. Frequently, the plant is sold with coins or crystals, further accentuating its auspicious nature.
Potted Orchid Plant: Elegance and Fertility
Orchids are renowned for their elegance and graceful appearance. In Feng Shui, orchids are predominantly associated with enhancing aspects of love, family, and fertility. Besides their aesthetic appeal, orchids have the unique ability to absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen at night, making them ideal for placing in bedrooms. Strategically positioning an orchid in the relationship area of your bedroom or on your nightstand is believed to attract a honorable and honest romantic partner. Among the various orchid varieties, the violet orchid is considered the most auspicious.
Golden Pothos: Happiness and Prosperity
Golden Pothos, also known as devil’s ivy, is a low-maintenance plant that thrives in various conditions, making it suitable for beginners. With its shiny heart-shaped leaves in different shades of green, it is believed to bring luck, happiness, and prosperity. Its resilience and ability to purify the air further enhance its positive energy. Adding a Golden Pothos plant to your living space can create a harmonious and prosperous environment.
Jade Plant: Abundance and Prosperity
The beautiful emerald leaves of the Jade Plant are believed to bring wealth, luck, and good fortune during the Chinese New Year. Its association with prosperity is so strong that it is often given as a housewarming gift, magnifying its luck-bringing properties. Additionally, other lush green plants such as palms, money plants, peace lilies, syngoniums, anthuriums, and other varieties of jade plants can be placed in the wealth area (south-east) to activate financial energies and attract good luck.
Lucky Plants Believed to Usher in Abundance and Good Energy
In addition to the aforementioned plants, here are some other lucky plants believed to bring abundance and positive energy:
- Snake Plant
- Rubber Plant
- Eucalyptus
- Bamboo
If you prefer flowers, consider these options:
- Peonies, symbolizing prosperity and love
- Chrysanthemums, associated with longevity and good health
- Azaleas, representing happiness and prosperity
- Marigolds, signifying longevity and good health
- Narcissus, known as the “flower of wealth” and believed to ward off evil spirits
- Magnolias, believed to bring love and purity
- Oncidium Orchids, associated with fertility and abundance
- Phalaenopsis, symbolizing happiness, vitality, and longevity with its butterfly-wing-shaped petals
- Plum Blossoms, representing health and long-term good fortune
- Lotus Flowers, symbolizing perseverance, beauty, and enlightenment
In Chinese culture, the color red is closely associated with luck and prosperity. During the New Year, it is common to see plants and flowers with red hues. Some popular lucky plants and flowers include peach blossoms, kumquat trees, and narcissus. Peach blossoms are regarded as symbols of good fortune and a happy marriage. Kumquats, small citrus fruits, are often consumed during the New Year to symbolize wealth. The bright orange fruits of the kumquat tree are believed to bring happiness and prosperity to the home.
To truly embrace the spirit of the Chinese New Year and increase the positive energy in your life, consider incorporating these lucky plants and flowers into your celebrations. Whether you are decorating your home, giving gifts, or simply enjoying the beauty of nature, these auspicious elements will bring good luck, happiness, and abundance to your life. For more tips on enhancing luck and prosperity, explore our previous articles on New Year lucky foods, colors, scents, and fruits.
Looking to add more luck to your life? Visit Ames Farm Center for a wide selection of lucky plants and flowers suitable for the Chinese New Year and beyond.
