Top 10 Auspicious Chinese New Year Plants
1. Lucky Bamboo
(Dracaena sanderiana)
The Lucky Bamboo that is used at Chinese New Year is not actually from the bamboo family, but the Dracaena! However, the bright green stalks have a bamboo-like appearance and are said to bring luck during the New Year and beyond.
There are five elements that make a Lucky Bamboo plant even luckier; the earth element of stones surrounding the stalks; the metal element of decorative coins, gold-coloured accents or a metal pot; the water element used to feed the plants; the fire element of a red ribbon or another red accent; and of course, the wood element of the bamboo plant itself.
These Chinese New Year plants are extremely easy to care for! When grown in water, simply refresh the water every week and make sure the roots are covered. If grown in soil, it will need to be watered when the top inch of soil is getting dry to the touch. Keep your Lucky Bamboo out of direct sunlight.
2. Money Tree
(Pachira aquatica)
Considered a symbol of financial success, the Money Tree Plant is a beautiful addition to your home or office all year round, especially as a Chinese New Year plant! Its unusual braided trunk and long green leaves are eye-catching and easy to care for.
Place your Money Tree plant in bright, indirect light. Avoid drafts and try to keep the air humidity high through misting or by placing the pot in a tray of pebbles and water. Let the top 1-2" of soil dry out before re-watering your plant.
(Find out more tips on caring for this plant in our Money Tree blog post here.)
3. Orchids
One of the most popular Chinese New Year plants, they symbolize fertility and abundance in the coming year. Their elegant flowers last for months and can brighten up any spot in the home. Orchids also come in a variety of gorgeous pots, everything from rustic to luxury to fit any decor.
Care for your orchids by thoroughly watering the bark medium in the pot, letting the water run through the holes at the bottom. Make sure the pot does not have any standing water, then allow the medium to entirely dry out before re-watering.
Keep your orchid in bright, indirect, sunlight and away from drafts! (Get the full story on pampering your orchid in our blog post.)
4. Jade Plant
(Crassula ovata)
The bright emerald green leaves of the Jade Plant are believed to bring about wealth, luck and good fortune during the Chinese New Year. They are especially lucky when given as house-warming or hostess gifts.
This succulent house plant is easy to care for and loves full sun with at least four hours of light. Water your Jade Plant when the top inch of soil is dry, never letting your plant sit in standing water.
6. Bromeliad
(Bromeliaceae)
The bright colouring of Bromeliads makes it an auspicious plant for Chinese New Year! They are part of the same family as the pineapple plant, which is considered a lucky fruit, and symbolizes good fortune arriving.
Give your Bromeliad medium to bright light, near a window. To water your Bromeliad, fill the cup shape in the centre of their leaves with water. Leave the soil relatively dry to avoid root rot.
{Read more in our extensive Bromeliad blog post}
7. Anthurium
The colour red symbolizes good fortune and prosperity during Chinese New Year (and the rest of the year too!) so it's a favourite to have around the home during this holiday.
We also know that the Anthurium helps to keep the air in your home clean but filtering out ammonia, formaldehyde and xylene from the air. Talk about good fortune!{Find out about 7 other indoor plants that clean your air in this blog post here.}
Anthuriums are used to the tropics, so they love bright sunlight, but keep it indirect so as not to scorch the leaves. After thoroughly watering your Anthurium, allow the top two inches of soil to dry out before re-watering.
8. Peace Lily
(Spathiphyllum)
Believed to have healing and cleansing powers, the Peace Lily is an elegant plant to have in your home all year long.
More than just symbolic, this plant actually has air-cleansing properties and can filter chemicals, such as trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, xylene, benzene and ammonia. out of your home!
These tropical plants love bright spaces, but not direct sunlight which can hurt the leaves and blossoms (east-facing windows are ideal).
Keep the soil moist, but don't allow any standing water. To add humidity, try misting their leaves daily or using a tray of pebbles and water nearby.
{Find out how to care for your peace lilies in our blog post over here.}
9. Pilea
(Pilea peperomioides)
Also known as the Chinese Money Plant, because of its round coin-like leaves, this favourite indoor plant is believed to bring prosperity! Perfect for our list of plants for Chinese New Year!
The Pilea likes to be watered thoroughly and then left until the soil is dry before doing another watering.
Your Pilea needs bright indirect light and enjoys morning sunshine. (Read our complete care guide for pilea for more tips)
10. Calamondin Orange Trees
Traditionally given at Chinese New Year, the Calamondin Orange Tree is a good-luck token for a fruitful and abundant year! The word 'orange' has a similar sound to the Chinese word 'wealth', which brought about this tradition.
Usually a dwarf variety, this small tree can be grown indoors. Keep the soil moist, allowing the top inch to dry out before re-watering.
This tree needs at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight every day, especially if you want it to bear fruit!
So many lucky plants for the Chinese New Year, we're likely to fill the house with at least a few and make some friends happy (and lucky) with celebrational gifts. Have a great time celebrating the Chinese New Year, gong hei fat choy!