VietNamNet Bridge - Many rich people are willing to pay a lot of money to buy rare ornamental animals and trees such as pheasants, Mandarin ducks, Dong Tao chickens and Sapa ancient roses for display at Tet (lunar New Year).

Nine-color pheasants

This Tet, it is fashionable to have a pheasant at home, but the pheasants must have at least seven to nine colors. The rarest are pheasants with the hairs of nine colors, which are worth several thousands of USD. These birds have a yellow head, beak and legs.

These rare birds are considered special gifts for Tet because many people believe that this species brings good luck and fortune to the owners. Why? They argue that the yellow color symbolizes wealth and good luck and it is the color of gold.

Nguyen Van Tai, a bird collector in Hanoi, added that the nine-color pheasants are hunted because the number nine symbolizes eternity.

$2,500 for an ancient rose tree

In recent years, Sapa antique rose variety, which is also called French rose, has become a special product for Tet hunted by wealthy people.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tuyen, who owns a garden of Sapa ancient rose in Van Giang district, Hung Yen province, said that this species was favored for its powerful vitality and its beautiful flowers.

These trees are priced at tens of million VND. Some trees are offered for VND50 million ($2,500) a tree..

King’s peach: $7,000/tree

King’s peach or That Thon peach is a special kind of peach with dark-red, big flowers of thick petals and ancient form.

According to gardeners, That Thon peach flowers are very beautiful but it is difficult to make them blossom at Tet time.

That Thon peach is considered the "queen" of peaches.

To have a blossoming That Thon peach tree to display at home during Tet, customers have to pay over VND150 million ($7,000) to buy a tree or more than VND20 million ($1,000) to rent a tree.

Dong Tao chickens

A Dong Tao rooster originating from Dong Tao Village in Khoai Chau district of Hung Yen province, about 1 year old and weighing 5 kg, can cost up to VND10 million ($500) or even $1,000 to $2,000. This is one of the hottest gifts for the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Dong Tao is a rare breed of chicken that is famous in Vietnam for its delicious meat which is exclusively served in restaurants that cater to affluent customers.

This unique type of chicken is also known for its imposing figure and stout legs covered with reddish scales. The male adult Dong Tao weighs about 6 kilograms and its legs are as thick as a human’s wrist.

The price of Dong Tao chickens depends on the legs. The biggest the legs are, the more expensive the chicken is.

The most expensive Dong Tao chicken is priced VND60 million ($3,000). However, as the purebred chickens with giant legs are very rare wealthy people cannot buy them without placing orders in advance.

Mandarin ducks: $600/pair

Mandarin ducks are not only known as one of the 10 most beautiful animals in the planet but also are a symbol of faithful love.

With a sense of bringing families a prosperous, happy life and eternal love, many people have chosen Mandarin ducks as the most special gift this Tet.

A pair of Mandarin ducks is priced over ten million VND (at least $500) but the demand always exceeds supply.

Anh Vu fish: VND3.5 million/kilo

In recent years, Anh Vu fish, also known as "King’s fish", has become more popular as Tet gifts because eating fish is thought to bring about good luck.

At present, the price for Anh Vu fish is about VND3.5 million ($150) per kilo. However, this is the price for bred fish, not natural fish. In nature, this species is considered endangered.