Many people are buying mai (ochna) plants and different species ofevergreen house plants for temporary use for the Tet (Lunar New Year)holidays.
The best time to rent an ochna plant is two or three days before Tet so they will bloom on the first day of the New Year.
Theplant that bears yellow flowers, an essential item for the New Year inthe south, is believed to bring good luck and well-being.
"Thebest way for those who don't have time to care for the plants is to rentthem," said Minh Hoa, 38, an accountant in District 5.
For many city residents, renting the plant is one-third cheaper than buying.
"Thisyear, the rentals are about 15-20 percent higher than last year," saidNguyen Toai Nguyen, the owner of Dong Nhat Ochna Garden in Hoc MonDistrict.
Nguyen's garden has 3,000 mai plants, both for sale andfor rent. Prices to rent a pot range from 4 million to 15 million VND(200-750 USD), depending on the size of the plant.
Gardener Tu Hoa in Binh Thanh District has 150 ochna plants that are many decades old.
The rentals of his plants, about 2m high, range from VND20 million to 35 million. He offers free transportation service.
HuynhThi Kim Vy, director of Saigon Flowers Company in Thu Duc District,said that higher prices this year have not deterred buyers.
She has signed contracts to rent 400 large plants at a cost of between 8 million VND and 30 million VND each.
TheSai Gon Flower Company is one of many companies in HCM City that rentdifferent kinds of eternity house plants, including phat tai (aroidpalm) and kim ngan (money tree). The rental price is between 500,000 VNDand 1 million VND a pot.
Usually an owner of a house with a bigliving room prefers to rent a decade-old ochna plant about two metreshigh and several money trees to decorate their house for Tet, accordingto Vy./.
The best time to rent an ochna plant is two or three days before Tet so they will bloom on the first day of the New Year.
Theplant that bears yellow flowers, an essential item for the New Year inthe south, is believed to bring good luck and well-being.
"Thebest way for those who don't have time to care for the plants is to rentthem," said Minh Hoa, 38, an accountant in District 5.
For many city residents, renting the plant is one-third cheaper than buying.
"Thisyear, the rentals are about 15-20 percent higher than last year," saidNguyen Toai Nguyen, the owner of Dong Nhat Ochna Garden in Hoc MonDistrict.
Nguyen's garden has 3,000 mai plants, both for sale andfor rent. Prices to rent a pot range from 4 million to 15 million VND(200-750 USD), depending on the size of the plant.
Gardener Tu Hoa in Binh Thanh District has 150 ochna plants that are many decades old.
The rentals of his plants, about 2m high, range from VND20 million to 35 million. He offers free transportation service.
HuynhThi Kim Vy, director of Saigon Flowers Company in Thu Duc District,said that higher prices this year have not deterred buyers.
She has signed contracts to rent 400 large plants at a cost of between 8 million VND and 30 million VND each.
TheSai Gon Flower Company is one of many companies in HCM City that rentdifferent kinds of eternity house plants, including phat tai (aroidpalm) and kim ngan (money tree). The rental price is between 500,000 VNDand 1 million VND a pot.
Usually an owner of a house with a bigliving room prefers to rent a decade-old ochna plant about two metreshigh and several money trees to decorate their house for Tet, accordingto Vy./.
