Brian Jeffrey
The upcoming Lunar New Year in 2025 has witnessed a surge in the availability of rare and distinct ornamental plants, with some commands prices soaring into the billions of Vietnamese dong.
These remarkable plants, seen as valuable assets, are capturing the fascination of plant lovers across the country.
One highlight at the Tet flower market in Lam Son Square, Thanh Hoa City, is an ancient starfruit tree with a unique and twisted appearance, priced at an astonishing 2.2 billion VND (about $90,000). Its owner, Thien Phu from Vinh Long, acquired this tree two decades ago from a local couple.
Phu explained, “When I bought it, the tree already had its rugged texture and exposed roots. It took me years to shape and cultivate it to its current beauty.”
This starfruit tree measures 4 meters in height and continuously produces flowers and fruit, symbolizing wealth and good fortune.
At the Ha Long flower fair in Quang Ninh, impressive pencil pine trees are fetching prices of 1.2 billion and 1.5 billion VND. They were transported from Lam Dong specifically for this event, leaving many visitors in awe of their price tags.
The fair also features numerous peach blossoms and orchids, with some plants priced at hundreds of millions of VND, beautifully arranged to attract Tet shoppers.
In Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province, a renowned golden apricot tree known as “Majestic Ancient Beauty” is attracting attention due to its remarkable history and value. Owned by Dinh Van Trong, this tree spans a canopy of 5.5 meters and reaches a height of 6 meters. Its twisted trunk suggests it is over 100 years old.
This precious tree was recognized as the most valuable ancient apricot tree in Vietnam by the Vietnam Record Organization on September 20, 2024. Currently for sale at 12.9 billion VND ($530,000), it was valued at over 15 billion VND three years ago.
At the Tet flower market near My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi, a grand orchid display known as “Golden Dragon Orchid” is captivating many visitors. This extraordinary arrangement boasts over 2,868 golden orchid stems from Da Lat, standing nearly 6 meters tall with a 2-meter wide canopy and weighing over 2 tons, including its ornate pot.
The pot, decorated with nine dragon carvings and gilded with 24-karat gold, weighs over 1 ton and utilized around 20 taels of gold. The price tag for this orchid arrangement is 3.868 billion VND ($160,000). Smaller orchid displays at the market range from 5 million to 70 million VND, depending on their style and size.
