The Famous Plant Market in Hong Kong


This flower market in Hong Kong is a "must go", especially if you are a plant lover. The Mongkok flower market, as it is affectionately known, is located along Prince Edward Road West, in Kowloon. "Mongkok" in Chinese means "flourishing corner". Shops that line this street are usually open from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m.

Above: Mongkok Flower Market is located along Prince Edward Road West.

The Mongkok flower market is the retail and wholesale hub for plants and flowers in Hong Kong. The visitor will have a feast for his senses with the myraid of fragrances and dazzling range of colours coming from the wide variety of flowers and plants. So do not forget to bring along your camera and of course, enough cash!

Ranging from rare orchids and Tillandsia, to fragrant herbs like rosemary and lavender, it is not uncommon for any one to spend hours and hours exploring the market and later, walking out, loaded with bagfuls of plants! Even a plant such as Mimosa, which occurs as a weed in Singapore, is up for grabs!

Above: The numerous flower shops that line the street selling a great variety of plants that spew out onto the main road.

	Cut-flowers and potted plants change with the season and time of the year. Nearer to Christmas, many temperate plants, including Poinsettia and a wide variety of forced bulbs will be imported from Europe for sale. When Chinese New Year comes about, festive plants not commonly seen in Singapore will make their appearance in the market. During the weekends, lorries loaded with plants that hail from the New Territories will be hawking their wares along the road in the flower market. They will only be around from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., so catch them before the traffic police chase them away! How adept is the saying, "The early bird catches the worm first"! For those of you who are fans of the African violet and other gesneriads, remember to drop by a store that is located above a confectionary. The store-owner grows his plants entirely under artificial lights! He even has a website which can be viewed via this link. Left Top: Shops selling a variety of Tillandsia in baskets. Left Center: Pots of bonsai laid out for sale outside one of the shops. Left Bottom: Imported pitcher plants on sale.

Other Places in the Area to Visit

Do not forget to explore the aquarium shops at Tung Choi Street, whether you are a fish fanatic or not. Called the "Goldfish Market", everything, from live aquarium fish to fish foods (both aquatic and marine) to aquarium paraphernalia, are on sale in both wholesale and retail prices.

There are other interesting attractions to visit along the way, including the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden where you will find pet birds and their supplies on sale; Ladies' Market and Fa Yuen Street where trendy fashion and casual wear for everyone are sold at very affordable prices; and many more.

Click on the following link that will bring you to the Hong Kong Tourism Board website for more information.

Above: The numerous orchid species on sale at the Mongkok Flower Market.

How to get to there

Take the MTR train to either Prince Edward Station (5 to 10 mins walk) or Mongkok Station (about 15 mins walks). Simply follow the signboards (in both English and Chinese) located in the station and along the streets.

The nearest hotel to the Flower Market is Royal Plaza Hotel. So, walk in the direction of this hotel.

Above: The cut-flower section of Mongkok Flower Market.

Acknowledgements

Wilson would like to thank the Wenny, May and Loventana for sharing their pictures, writing about bits of their holiday and helping to answer the numerous questions that make this article possible.