Many Hanoians are bringing home a branch of wild pear flowers for in-house decoration as the peach blossom or kumquat trees are wilting after a quite long time of Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.
The white blossom of the wild pear tree is replacing the pink blossom of the peach or kumquat in the days after Tet in Hanoi's flower market in Quang Ba (Tay Ho District) and surrounding streets.
As the weather turns warmer and spring drizzle falls on the streets of Hanoi in the first lunar month [February], it is the best time of the year to admire the wild pear tree flower in some streets of the capital. The beautiful branches of pure, vivid white flowers will remain in bloom until the third lunar month.
Hanoians like wild pear blossoms for their soft white beauty, which bring a touch of luxury to the home.
Wild pear flower trees are brought from the mountainous provinces of Lao Cai, Lang Son, and Cao Bang.
Branches of wild pear flowers with beautiful shapes and loads of flower buds are much sought after. |
This type of flower has a beauty of its own that no other can compare with. |
The flowers bloom for about a month or three months with professional care. |
The wild pear flower on streets. |
The price of a branch is considerably higher than the previous year, at around VND300,000 ($15) and VND5,000,000 ($120), depending on the shape of the flower and the number of buds. |
Small branches of wild pear flowers are most favored by customers for the family’s altar decoration. Some prefer big branches to adorn living rooms. |
The wild pear blossom branch, in order to win the customer's preference, should have some pear fruits, which symbolize prosperity in the first days of the New Year. |
In Vietnamese traditional medicine, wild pear branches and leaves are used as an antidiarrheal agent, and its flowers are used as a herbal medicine for lowering blood lipids. |
