About two weeks before the Lunar New Year of the Horse, the market, one of the largest of its kind in the north, is already crowded from early morning, with trucks and cars ferrying flowers and bonsai trees in and out throughout the day.
Rising demand from both wholesalers and households has caused frequent congestion along the Xuan Quan dyke road, as vehicles loaded with ornamental plants line nearby streets and unloading continues nonstop.
Traders from localities including Haiphong, Quang Ninh and Thanh Hoa have travelled to the market to secure supplies for the Tet season.
Vuong, a trader from Haiphong, said she visits the market almost daily to avoid shortages closer to Tet. On February 1 alone, she bought 70 lily plants at VND 70,000 (USD 2.80) each, 50 azaleas at VND 150,000 apiece and about 400 rose plants.
Motorbikes stacked high with flowers are a common sight. Hydrangeas are selling for between VND 150,000 and VND 250,000 per plant.
Lieu, a grower, said she planted chamomile chrysanthemums early last year to meet Tet demand. Regular varieties are selling for about VND 110,000 per pot, while premium double-layer plants fetch up to VND 400,000.
Demand has risen compared with last year and shoppers are buying earlier, she said, noting that in previous years the market only became crowded after the 20th day of the last lunar month.
Vendor Quy said prices have remained broadly stable despite the surge in demand, adding that he has hired five extra workers during peak days to manage sales of around 20 flower varieties.
Shoppers browse crowded aisles carefully, often video-calling family members to help choose plants. Some groups spend hours at the market, with individuals typically spending more than one million dong on Tet plants.
