Choosing the Best Orchid Variety for Chinese New Year

Orchids hold a special place in Chinese culture, symbolizing beauty, refinement, prosperity, and harmony. During Chinese New Year, they are especially valued as auspicious plants to welcome fortune into the home. With so many types available, it is important to choose the right one for your purpose.

1. Understand the Symbolism

The color of an orchid plays a significant role in its meaning during the Lunar New Year.

• Red represents happiness, celebration, and vitality.

• Pink represents affection, harmony, and family love.

• Yellow or gold represents wealth, prosperity, and business success.

• Purple represents nobility, dignity, and spiritual growth.

• White represents purity, renewal, and fresh beginnings.

For Chinese New Year, yellow, gold, red, and purple orchids are the most popular for their strong associations with luck and prosperity.

2. Choose the Right Orchid Variety

Phalaenopsis Orchids (Butterfly Orchid)
Symbolism: abundance, good fortune, and happiness.
Reason for popularity: large, rounded blooms that resemble butterflies, thought to bring good luck.
Best for: elegant gifts and festive centerpieces.
Recommended colors: golden yellow, pink, or purple.

Dendrobium Orchids
Symbolism: longevity, vitality, and resilience.
Reason for popularity: delicate cascading flowers, often in white or purple shades.
Best for: gifting to elder family members as a gesture of respect and wishes for good health.

Oncidium Orchids (Dancing Lady)
Symbolism: wealth and energetic vitality.
Reason for popularity: bright yellow blooms that resemble gold coins or dancing figures, symbolizing “gold flowing in.”
Best for: business openings, office displays, or shops during the New Year period.

Cymbidium Orchids
Symbolism: friendship, virtue, and noble character.
Reason for popularity: long-lasting blooms with a refined fragrance.
Best for: giving to friends, teachers, and mentors.

3. Match the Orchid to the Recipient or Occasion

For family gifts, choose Phalaenopsis or Cymbidium to represent harmony, respect, and abundance.
For business prosperity, choose Oncidium or golden Phalaenopsis to symbolize wealth and success.
For longevity wishes, choose Dendrobium, which is associated with vitality.
For home decoration, a mixed arrangement brings multiple auspicious meanings together.

4. Check Quality Before Buying

Look for firm, deep green leaves without spots or yellowing.
Roots should be plump, green or silvery-white, and free from any smell of rot.
Blooms should be a mix of open flowers and buds to ensure a longer display period.
Stems should be strong and upright, not bent or drooping.

5. Care Tips to Keep Them Blooming

Place orchids in bright, indirect sunlight.
Water when the top layer of the potting medium feels dry, usually about once a week.
Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.
Keep the plant away from direct air-conditioning drafts.
Add decorative elements such as red ribbons or festive pot covers for the season.

6. Styling for Chinese New Year

Tie red envelopes to the stems for good fortune.
Combine orchids with kumquat trees or lucky bamboo for a richer symbolic display.
Display orchids in pairs to represent balance and double blessings.