4 Types of Flowers to Avoid for Your Ancestral Altar on Lucky Days

22 June, 2025

In Vietnamese worship customs, flowers are indispensable offerings on the ancestral altar and the altars of the God of Wealth and the Earth God. Flowers symbolize purity, solemnity, and reverence shown by descendants to their ancestors.

1. Lilies – Attract wealth but can lead to separation

Lilies are renowned for their vibrant beauty and potent fragrance, often associated with nobility. However, in the context of yin and yang and the five elements, the word “lily” implies separation and parting.

Placing lilies on the altar at the beginning of the month or during the full moon may bring about separation within the family. It can disrupt business ventures and cause financial prosperity to dissipate.

Couples wishing to conceive or families seeking stability are particularly advised against using this flower.

2. Hibiscus – Short-lived prosperity, prone to decline

The hibiscus flower is beautiful but short-lived, blooming in the morning and withering by evening. In feng shui, this symbolizes short-lived prosperity and impermanence.

Displaying hibiscus on the altar can cause the family’s vibrant energy to wane, leading to unstable finances and difficulty in retaining wealth. Especially during the first days of the lunar month, when new beginnings and rising fortune are sought, it is advisable to refrain from using this flower.

3. Jasmine – Incompatible with the solemn atmosphere

Jasmine flowers are pristine white, but their fragrance can be overpowering. They are sometimes considered “playful” flowers, incongruent with the serene and solemn atmosphere of an ancestral or deity altar.

Additionally, jasmine holds limited symbolic significance in worship practices. Superstition suggests that displaying jasmine may diminish reverence, hinder wealth accumulation, and negatively impact the family’s vibrant energy.

4. Marigolds – Inauspicious connotations

Marigolds are commonly displayed during festive occasions, yet they carry a less-than-auspicious meaning. While “marigold” suggests longevity, it is also associated with funerals and separation in folk beliefs.

The potent fragrance of marigolds can overwhelm the scent of incense, disrupting the worship atmosphere. During the full moon and the first day of the lunar month, when homeowners seek to attract new positive energy, it is best to refrain from placing marigolds on the altar.

4 types of flowers to avoid placing on the Wealth God altar, especially during the full moon and the first day of the month

Notes on choosing flowers for the altar during the full moon and the first day of the month:

Prioritize flowers with auspicious meanings, long-lasting freshness, and elegant colors, such as lotuses, yellow chrysanthemums, alstroemerias, and white lilies. These flowers are believed to bring good fortune and enhance the family’s vitality and wealth.

The full moon and the first day of the month are auspicious occasions for homeowners to invoke blessings and financial prosperity for the new month. Therefore, the choice of flowers for the altar should be made with careful consideration. Avoiding the four aforementioned flowers will help prevent the dissipation of positive energy, inviting more blessings, peace, and prosperity into the home.