White apricot blossom – an elegant hobby of Hanoians

Anh Kiet - Ngoc Tu

Jan 26, 2024 / 11:12 AM

The flower is famous for its fragile shape and pure white color.

Nhat chi mai or white apricot blossom, is known as one of the four rare and precious trees with fragile and pure beauty, which has long been an elegant hobby of Hanoians.

In Vietnamese culture, the white apricot tree represents the gentleman who has gone through the cold winter and is still resilient.

For florists, a beautiful apricot tree needs a delicate combination of shape, flower color, and roots and contains resilience and strength.

The flower delights people as the weather is humid and cool and the mossy trunks create a wilder and more liberal look.

White apricot blossoms bloom beautifully these days in An Hoa Village, Tan Linh Commune in Hanoi's suburban Ba Vi District. Photos: Ngoc Tu/The Hanoi Times

The apricot trees have a unique beauty thanks to the favorable climate.

Although the price of a white apricot blossom tree is quite high, starting from VND5 million (US$203.29), many people still spend money on them when Spring comes.

The white apricot flower is famous for its fragile shape and pure white color. It is rare because it requires expensive and elaborate cultivation techniques.

Phan Van Hai, 59, has long experience in growing white apricots in Tan Linh Commune, said that it takes 2 to 10 years to grow a white apricot blossom tree.

“The value of a white apricot depends on the age and the origin of the tree. A white apricot blossom tree of 8 years old or older can be sold for VND20 million ($812),” Hai told The Hanoi Times.

Some flower lovers choose white apricot blossom because of its feng shui meaning. They believe that the special flower could bring good luck, happiness, and fortune to the owner.

Nguyen Van Huy, Chairman of the Tan Linh Commune Farmers Association, told The Hanoi Times that growing white apricots helps each household earn about VND300 million ($12,193) a year, much more than other crops.