Ruby Vo wants to continue her family tradition of decorating their home to welcome the Lunar New Year. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
It's a colourful, spear-shaped flower that grows all year round — but at the moment you might find it hard to get your hands on a gladiolus.
If you're swift enough, there's still a chance you can grab the last of them at the market.
Ruby Vo suggests going early to avoid disappointment.
Gladiolus flowers are more commonly known as gladdies or sword lilies. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
"If you're late, you get the crooked ones," she warned.
In her quiet Springvale South townhouse in Melbourne's south-east, the mother of three carefully arranged the red flowers as she prepared to welcome the Lunar New Year.
At the centre of the living room, a vase of tall and proud stems of gladiolus flowers pointed up to the ceiling like comet fireworks in slow motion.
Ruby Vo prepares her bunch of gladdies by cleaning their leaves and cutting the stem. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
Leaves polished, stems snipped, it's an annual display the family looks forward to setting up.
"It's a nice tradition to follow," Ms Vo said.
"It was passed [down] from my parents, and it was from their parents as well."
A busy month for gladiolus growers and florists
Ms Vo's family is not the only one busy with gladioli this month, as communities around the world welcome in the Year of the Snake.
Victorian flower grower Tania Podgers said her family farm had been harvesting "a bigger crop" of red gladiolus flowers (commonly known as gladdies or sword lilies) to prepare for Lunar New Year demands.
Harvested gladiolus flowers are delivered to wholesalers weeks before Lunar New Year. (Supplied: Podgers Flowers)
"The wholesalers get the flowers in a little bit earlier than the [29th of January]," Ms Podgers said.
"We've had some hot days. It'll be busy."
The decades-old family business in Victoria's south-west has never had problems selling their gladdies at this time of year.
Last year, Ms Podgers said the farm sold close to 700,000 stems across 10 days for Lunar New Year alone.
She said they hoped they had "more to sell".
At the other end of the production chain, Melbourne florist Sharon Ho knows well how to secure the best bunches from markets and wholesalers.
She said the key was to plan weeks ahead.
Sharon Ho says gladiolus flowers are "easy" to work with. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
"If you're a florist, then you would pre-order. It would easily be about 100 bunches," she said.
"You really need to be quick, because they do sell out. I've seen them sell out just like that."
Tall, bright, and meaningful
Although not native to Australia, gladdies can be found flowering throughout the year.
Funnily enough, they are not native to Asia either.
The flower is loved by many Asian-Australians for their "striking appearance" and the symbolism they carry that aligns with traditional values.
The colour of red symbolises "fortune" in Asian culture. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
Macquarie University Chinese culture expert Shirley Chan said the flowers were likely brought to East Asia in the early 20th century, becoming popular during Lunar New Year because of their "vivid colours" which represent the ideas of "progress, vitality, and fortune".
"Their prominence grew … as they became widely cultivated and accessible," Dr Chan said.
Other favourable blooms include orchids, peach blossoms, and peonies, but Dr Chan said these traditional flowers were more difficult to get a hold of in Australia, particularly during this time of year.
Ms Ho said she personally enjoyed working with gladdies because of their versatility.
"[Gladiolus flowers are] easy to arrange … and looks grand," she said.
But beyond that exquisite colour and sturdy stalk, Ms Ho cherishes the meaning behind its name.
Shirley Chan says decorating homes with flowers during Lunar New Year is an important cultural practice for Chinese and East Asian families. (ABC News: Geoff Kemp)
"[Gladiolus flowers] have quite a few buds in one stem. They open progressively from bottom up. In Cantonese, the flower symbolises the Chinese phrase 步步高陞 (bou bou gou sing) which means 'as it blooms steadily from the base to the tip'," she said.
"It symbolises that with every step you take, you go upwards, progress in personal growth, business and career."
A tradition to keep
As she lifted her three-year-old daughter Avalyn onto the table in their Springvale South home, Ms Vo reflected on the broader meaning of Lunar New Year for her family.
"I think it's very important because it's the way that we were raised up as well — being together with family. So, I want my kids to follow the same tradition as well," she said.
Ruby Vo's youngest child, three-year-old Avalyn Kuoch, enjoys helping her decorate the home to welcome the new year. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
Dr Chan said family customs like this were important for Asian communities in Australia as it kept families close to traditional values, especially for immigrants who were navigating in a "new cultural landscape".
"These customs also strengthen community bonds, creating a sense of unity and belonging among people with shared cultural backgrounds," she said.
"By continuing these traditions, the Asian community contributes to Australia's multicultural richness, promoting inclusivity and fostering a greater appreciation for cultural diversity."
