I am not a plant person. So when even I notice the abundance of vườn kiểng — a place selling a myriad of plants — it must mean that Saigoneers truly love buying plants. Some of my friends, who are also Hanoians, asked me one day to visit these vườn kiểng and look for Tết plants: “Let’s celebrate Tết the way northerners do, you know?” And somehow, being amongst the plants brought me right back to Quảng Bá Flower Market in Tây Hồ.
In Vietnam's Tết plant traditions, northerners tend to prefer peach blossoms (hoa đào), while southerners like apricot blossoms (hoa mai); my family’s thing, however, is kumquat trees (quất or tắc). This thought process runs through my mind every year whenever my dad drags me out on January 22 or 23 of the lunar calendar to Quảng Bá to procure our kumquat tree for that year’s Tết.
Generally, kumquat is also a popular Tết ornamental tree in northern families — all of my friends and relatives have (at least) one in their houses too — but it often plays a supporting role to the star that is hoa đào. My family, however, cherishes kumquat just as much as peach blossoms, or even more so. My mom is perfectly happy with buying flowers at the nearby local market, but my dad usually insists on going to Quảng Bá for kumquat — a habit that has been ingrained in me when Tết approaches. That’s why I accept my friends’ invitation with a concrete determination to find myself a mini kumquat tree, keeping the Quảng Bá Market tradition alive.
The journey to find a plant nursery was short and easy. There is a whole “complex” of them on a long stretch of Nguyễn Hữu Thọ Street, which links District 7 with downtown Saigon, so I didn’t even need to search for any specific name, but rather just went there and randomly picked one to enter. It wasn’t intentional either — the last days of a year are always hectic, piling on my own stress over moving — so the trip was made simply because it conveniently aligned with the route required for my other errands.
I was concerned that there might be no kumquat tree sold this early before Tết, but to my surprise, the kumquat trees were not only there but also proudly presented right on the front, lining up like a little army of salespersons inviting people to come in. The trees look spectacular, lush with leaves and adorned with round kumquats, each about the size of two thumbs pressed together. The whole plant can be held within your palms, albeit a little heavy.
Even though the trees are miniature, they hOld the energy for the entire Hanoian Tết celebration. Standing in that bustling vườn kiểng, surrounded by others asking for prices and buying different plants for Tết decoration, I felt a sense of connection to my culture and the shared experiences that come with celebrating Tết. Maybe, the little kumquat tree now placed on my table can be more than just a Tết plant, but also a reminder of my roots and traditions, which can still be kept despite any life changes.
