Along Au Co Street near Quang An flower market, stalls are filled with peach, plum and pear blossoms, drawing residents seeking an early festive feel.
With the Lunar New Year still about six weeks away, the soft pinks and whites of blossoms set against Hanoi’s winter chill are signalling that Tet is drawing near.
At Quang An market, traders said branches of wild peach and early-blooming Nhat Tan peach have been selling steadily since the New Year holiday.
“As usual, peach blossoms bloom early around the full moon of the 11th lunar month. Demand for the solar New Year is strong, but good branches remain limited, keeping prices high,” said Ky, a trader at the market.
Large Nhat Tan peach branches sell for about VND 500,000-600,000 (USD 19-23) each, while smaller ones cost VND 80,000-100,000. Wild peach branches from the northwest are priced at VND 1.5-2.5 million.
Buyers said they were happy to bring a touch of Tet into their homes early. “It’s still a long way to the Lunar New Year, but we like to decorate the house early,” said Quang Thang, a Hanoi resident shopping at the market.
Pear and plum blossoms are also selling well. Vendors said pear flowers are sourced from Lang Son, while plum blossoms come from Moc Chau.
Prices range from VND 2-3 million per branch, usually sold with pots, and are slightly lower than last year due to warmer weather and a leap lunar month that caused flowers to bloom early.
Alongside blossoms, pots of kumquat trees heavy with ripe yellow fruit have also begun appearing on Hanoi’s streets, adding to the early build-up of the Tet atmosphere.
