Jane Lai FOR the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, it is customary for Chinese families to have flowers around their home, which symbolizes rebirth and new life. Flower fairs are also popular at this time of the year. The most prized flowers for the Spring Festival are azalea, begonia, daffodil (narcissus), camellia and miniature trees. Azalea Azaleas are an appropriate house flower because they produce masses of bright-colored flowers that cover almost all of their dark green foliage. They come in all shades — from white and yellow to pink and orange to flame-colored. They transplant very well due to their shallow root systems. Thus if you are lucky enough to have wild azalea growing near your home, you can dig them up, pot them and bring them inside during the Spring Festival to enjoy their bloom before putting them back to nature again. Do not select buds that are too small. If the petals have just started to appear now, they will be in full bloom on the first day of the Lunar New Year on Jan. 23. Put the plants in an area where they will receive a moderate amount of sunlight. Azaleas are almost impossible to overwater, so water them regularly. The flowering period lasts for up to four weeks. Begonia Wax begonia and tuberous begonia are both sought after during this season. Wax begonia bear an abundance of small, four-petaled blooms. They are easy to care for and sturdy if the weather remains breezy and cool. Keep them in a well-lit area and water them at least once a day. Tuberous begonia are large flowered begonia which are sometimes mistaken as roses. Select those with as many buds as possible since you must throw them away after flowering. Bright indirect light will be sufficient. The flowering period is at least a week. Daffodil Daffodils, or narcissus, bloom in early spring. The flower has become a symbol of the Chinese New Year. Daffodils are one of the most popular Spring Festival flowers. All narcissus species have a central bell-, bowl-, or disc-shaped corona surrounded by a ring of six floral leaves called the perianth. The yellow flower has often been mentioned in folklore and poetry. Select those with a lot of buds since you are going to throw them away after flowering. They cannot bloom in cold weather so keep them indoors and use warm water to water them. There is an ancient Chinese legend about a poor but virtuous man who receives many pots of gold due to owning the flower. Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum is renowned as one of the “Four Gentlemen” of China, the others being the plum blossom, the orchid and bamboo. Chrysanthemums were first cultivated in China as a flowering herb as long ago as the 15th century B.C. Chrysanthemums are herbaceous perennial plants that grow from 50 to 150cm tall with deeply lobed leaves and large flower heads that are generally white, yellow or pink. But white is an unlucky color in Chinese culture, especially during the Spring Festival. It is best to purchase plants with partially opened flowers and avoid those with wet buds as they may lead to rot. Chrysanthemums tend to open very fast. The plants are very sensitive to overwatering as their stems will rot. Water once a day and drain off any excess water. The flowers need light to bloom. Camellia Camellias are popular among gardeners as they do not need to be kept in greenhouses during winter. They are warm temperate plants and bloom for the duration of winter and will continue to bloom in spring. The most famous member is the tea plant, or sinensis. Camellias are evergreen and can grow up to 20 meters tall. Their leaves are alternately arranged, simple, thick, serrated, and usually glossy. Their flowers are usually large and conspicuous. The colors of the flowers vary from white to pink to red. For camellia, the “lots of buds” rule does not apply because only the partially open ones will bloom. So you should purchase camellias as close to the Spring Festival as possible with some opened flowers so that they can last during the festival. Keep it outdoors and water it once a day. Other plants Mandarin orange trees, orchids, bamboo and miniature trees are also popular Spring Festival plants. They are all available at flower markets and fairs in the city. Miniature trees orginated from China and developed into bonsai in the country and in Japan. A bonsai is created beginning with a specimen of source material. This may be a cutting, seedling, or small tree of a species suitable for bonsai development. It can be created from nearly any perennial woody-stemmed tree or shrub species that produces true branches and can be cultivated to remain small through pot confinement with crown and root pruning. Bonsai cultivation and care require techniques and tools that are specialized to support the growth and long-term maintenance of plants in small containers. Among the techniques are leaf trimming, pruning, wiring branches, clamping, grafting and defoliation. If you buy a bonsai, consult a gardener about how to tend to it. Where to buy Flower markets 1. Shenzhen Flower World, near Shanghai Hotel (深圳花卉世界) 2. Shenzhen Flower Market on Hongli Road, near Lianhua Hill (深圳花卉市场) 3. Nongke Zhongxin Flower Market on Nongyuan Road, near Donghai Shopping Mall (深圳农科中心花卉市场) 4. Nanshan Flower Market on Shennan Boulevard, opposite Nantou Middle School (深圳南山花卉市场) Flower fairs 1. 2012 Shenzhen Spring Festival Flower Fair on Aiguo Road (2012深圳市迎春花市), Jan. 18-22 2. 2012 Nanshan Spring Festival Flower Fair, near Shahe Road West (2012南山迎春花市), Jan. 16-22 3. 2012 Bao’an Spring Festival Flower Fair, on Jinke Road (2012宝安迎春花市), Jan. 18-22 | 