Sales of plants and flowers will reach a high during the Lunar New Year celebrations in Phnom Penh, which start on Sunday, as more customers than ever before buy floral decorations for their houses, flower shop owners in Phnom Penh predicted.

“During the weekend many people came to visit my shop and many products were bought - more than usual,” Sar Botra, owner of a garden shop near Boeung Trabek market, said. “I am ordering more products as I believe the amount of sales will reach the highest level.”

Lunar New Year, also referred to Chinese New Year because of its basis on the Chinese zodiac, is a popular unofficial holiday in Cambodia. This year’s celebrations will usher in the year of the snake and will start on February 10.

According to Sok Samnang, another garden shop owner, red and yellow flowers and plants are in high demand. Golden pots are also popular as decorative items.

“Lucky bamboo, sunflowers, mandarin orange trees and money trees will be selling quite well in the coming few days,” he said.

“All of them have positive meanings and represent prosperity, longevity, luck and fortune.” Plum blossoms, narcissus, eggplants and chom mon plants are also used as decoration.

There is no data on the quantity of plants purchased by nurseries or how much Cambodians spend on them. However, Che Mouy, owner of Ly Ly Garden Shop, a major wholesaler of plants in Phnom Penh, told the Post yesterday that she expects to sell about 30,000 flower pots.

The price differs from plant to plant, Che said. Decorated trees, for example, can sell for $20 to $50, while bigger plants rank between $100 to $200.  

A potted flower, however, costs about $2 on average during Lunar New Year, she said. That means the total supply of 30,000 items could bring in approximately $60,000 over the holiday.

“The demand for flowers and plants will increase, as evidenced by the increasing orders from local garden shops in the city,” Che said.