Kokina Flower

Kokina Flower: The Red Good-Luck Symbol of the New Year

With its bright red berries and dark green branches, the kokina is the most familiar New Year's gift. Seen as a symbol of luck, abundance and happiness, this red bunch is the most elegant way to leave a little good-luck charm for your loved ones, your colleagues or your own desk as you step into the new year. At Heryerbitki, you'll find kokina bouquets, classic bunches, potted and vase arrangements, and gift sets with chocolates and teddy bears all in one place. Every design is carefully prepared by our professional florists; once ready, a photo is sent to you and it goes out for delivery with your approval.

What Is Kokina? Where Two Plants Meet

Although its name suggests a flower, kokina is not actually a flower but a traditional New Year's bunch made by combining two different plants. The green part consists of the stiff, glossy, sharp-tipped branches of Ruscus aculeatus, commonly known as butcher's broom. The red berries are the fruit of rough bindweed (Smilax excelsa), a thorny, vine-like climbing plant. The berries are picked one by one, gathered into clusters and tied to the tips of the green branches with a thin red string.

The name kokina comes from the Greek word kokkino, meaning “red.” The tradition began as a New Year's decoration among Istanbul's Greek community; over time it became a tradition for all of Istanbul, and today it is a New Year's tradition across Turkey. Butcher's broom grows naturally in wooded and shady areas in many regions, from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

Kokina Meaning: Why Is Kokina Given as a New Year's Gift?

Kokina is a symbol of luck, abundance and happiness. It is said to be hung in homes so that wishes come true in the new year. Hung on a door, placed on the table or given to a friend, this little bunch is one of the simplest and most meaningful ways to say “may the new year bring you good things.” For the origin of the word, how the two plants are combined by hand and the "new home" legend, see our article what is kokina, its meaning and legend.

There's also a beloved belief about kokina: whoever keeps a kokina received as a gift for a whole year will have their wish come true. According to another tale, whoever keeps it for a year will own a home before that year ends. You can find the rest of the story and care tips in our article kokina care and its story.

Kokina Varieties: Bouquets, Bunches, Pots and Gift Sets

Kokina looks wonderful on its own or paired with other flowers. Our collection offers options for different presentations and budgets:

Kokina Bouquets

There are plenty of options, from full bouquets made solely of kokina branches to designs with roses and sunflowers. Red rose designs highlight New Year's excitement, white roses bring winter elegance, and pink and orange roses offer a softer warmth; the sunflower design adds a bright splash of color to a winter day. Fans of rose designs can also browse our red rose and white rose collections.

Kokina Bunches

The classic kokina bunch is the tradition in its simplest form: green branches and red berries carry the spirit of the new year without needing any other decoration. Ideal as a door decoration, for the New Year's table or a work desk, these bunches are the right choice for anyone looking for a simple yet meaningful gift.

Potted and Vase Kokina Arrangements

Prepared in red, green, yellow and gray pots or in glass and premium vases, kokina arrangements add a stylish New Year's touch to the home and office. Depending on the design, the arrangement is finished with dried orange, cinnamon, pine branches, Christmas baubles and gold details. Potted designs are not rooted plants in soil but arrangements made with kokina branches inside a pot. For more arrangement ideas, see our flower arrangements page.

Kokina in Boxes, Baskets and Table Arrangements

Kokina and rose arrangements in a box, a New Year's basket with a teddy bear, wicker basket designs and kokina table arrangements are made for those who want to give the recipient a little surprise. If you love boxed designs, you can also explore our flowers in a box collection.

Kokina and Gift Sets

Adding chocolate or pairing it with lilies takes a New Year's gift one step further. Chocolate sets, lily arrangements and the lucky elephant and kokina arrangement that doubles the good fortune are just a few of these options. For more ideas, take a look at our flower and chocolate sets and lily collections.

What Determines Kokina Flower Prices?

Prices vary depending on the size of the bunch or arrangement, the number of branches used, the accompanying flowers and the presentation. A simple kokina bunch is the most basic option. Bouquets made with roses, lilies or sunflowers, pot and vase designs, and gift sets with chocolates and teddy bears suit different budgets. You can see the current price of each product on its product card and easily choose the design that fits your budget. Delivery is free.

How to Tell a Real Kokina Flower

As New Year's approaches, “real kokina” and “fresh kokina” become some of the most searched topics. In a real bunch, the green part consists of stiff, glossy, sharp-tipped branches; the tips prick slightly when you touch them. Because the red berries are gathered from nature, they vary slightly in size and shade and are tied to the branches with a thin string. In plastic or latex artificial versions, the branches and berries look identical, as if they came out of a mold.

At Heryerbitki, you see your kokina before delivery: once your order is ready, a photo is sent to you and it goes out for delivery with your approval. The kokina you see is the kokina that arrives at your door.

Who Should You Send Kokina To, and for Which Occasions?

• New Year's greetings: To send the first good-luck wish of the new year to your family, friends and loved ones far away.
• Workplace and office: As a thank-you to clients, business partners and teammates for closing out the year together. To send flowers on behalf of your company, visit our corporate flower delivery page.
• New homeowners: Believed in folklore to bring home ownership, kokina is also a very meaningful housewarming gift.
• Teachers' Day: On November 24, kokina is an elegant thank-you that celebrates both the new year and hard work. For other options, see our Teachers' Day flowers page.
• Home visits and New Year's parties: A kokina brought to the New Year's table is the most elegant way to tell your host “so glad you're in my life.”

If you're looking for other ideas, you can also browse our New Year's flowers and New Year's gifts collections.

When Should You Buy Kokina?

Kokina is a seasonal gift: it arrives in mid-autumn and is available until New Year's. Since most orders are placed in December, deliveries peak during New Year's week. Sending it in November or the first days of December gets your New Year's wish there before anyone else's and makes delivery easier before the busy days.

In provinces covered by our florist network, orders placed during the day are delivered the same day; the order cutoff time varies by delivery area. You can choose your delivery date when ordering, and see our delivery areas across Turkey, especially Istanbul, on our flower delivery areas page.

How to Care for Kokina

• Choose a cool, bright spot: Kokina dislikes both extreme heat and cold; an airy, bright place is ideal. Direct sunlight dries out the branches quickly.
• Keep it away from heat sources: Radiators, stoves, fireplaces and air conditioner vents shorten its life the most.
• Remove the packaging: It lasts better with airflow; don't leave it inside plastic wrapping.
• Don't water a kokina bunch: As a rootless bunch, it doesn't need watering in the traditional sense; standing in water can cause rot. If the air is very dry, a light misting now and then is enough. Potted designs made only of kokina and dried decorations shouldn't be watered either.
• For bouquets with roses and lilies: Refresh the vase water often for the fresh flowers in the bouquet and cut the stems at an angle.
• Keep away from children and pets: The red berries are decorative and not edible.

Why Choose Kokina from Heryerbitki?

• 500,000+ successful orders: We prepare and send out every order with the same care.
• Photo approval: Once your order is ready, we send you a photo, and it goes out for delivery with your approval.
• Florist touch: Every design is carefully crafted by our professional florists.
• Free delivery: You pay no extra fee for delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kokina Flowers

What is kokina?

Kokina is a traditional New Year bunch made by tying the red berries of the holly plant to the green branches of butcher's broom. Although it is called a flower, it is actually a combination of two different plants.

What does kokina mean?

Kokina symbolizes luck, abundance and happiness. It is one of the best-known ways to tell your loved ones “may the new year bring you good luck.”

Where can I buy kokina?

You can order kokina bouquets, bunches and potted arrangements online from Heryerbitki and send them to any address you like. Once your order is ready, we send you a photo, and it goes out for delivery with your approval.

When should I buy kokina?

Kokina season starts in mid-autumn and lasts until New Year's. Ordering in November or the first days of December, before the New Year's week rush, is the most convenient option.

Should kokina be put in water?

There is no need to put a kokina bunch in water; since it has no roots, leaving it in water can cause it to rot. A cool, bright spot away from heat sources is enough. For bouquets with roses or lilies, refresh the vase water regularly for the fresh flowers.

Can kokina be dried?

As a rootless branch, it dries naturally over time; no extra treatment is needed. If you want to keep it after it dries, choose a cool corner out of direct sunlight, as sunlight fades its color faster.

Is same-day kokina delivery available?

Yes. Orders placed during the day are delivered the same day in provinces covered by our florist network, especially Istanbul. The order cut-off time varies by delivery area.

How much does kokina cost?

Prices vary depending on the size of the bunch or arrangement, the accompanying flowers and the presentation. You can see current prices for all models, from a simple kokina bunch to gift sets with chocolate, on the product cards on this page.