Pics by Virendra Saklani
Dubai: There is an oasis in the Dubai desert that is for sale — flower by flower, plant by plant.
An estimated 200 back-to-back shops in Warsan 3 area make up what is known as the plant souq of Dubai.
The sprawling souq is a botanical shopping paradise where customers will find everything from Dh1 flowers to Dh100,000 bonsai and olive trees.
Besides the huge variety, another draw for customers is the low prices compared to city shops. Traders and buyers estimate souq prices to be 20 to 50 per cent cheaper. Prices are not fixed and depend on the size, type and quality of the plant — and customers’ haggling skills.
On offer are one-metre-tall bougainvillea for around Dh30, 1.5m areca palm for Dh190, small drumsticks for Dh10, and much more.
There is lots of room for free parking besides the gravel roads right outside the shops or nurseries. Salesmen, who are mostly from Pakistan, are quick to attend to customers and sometimes even offer tea.
Navigating the inner roads of the souq is a bit confusing at first as all lanes look the same — lined with a plethora of green and featureless shops. However, it quickly becomes clear that there is a main outside perimeter road and inner lanes that are organised, more or less, in a grid format, with east-west and north-south directions.
There are also pots, statues, fountains, fertilisers and decoration items for sale.
Indian expat Jenny Joseph said he has been coming to the souq for 20 years — even though it is only around eight years old.
He explained: “The old plants market used to be in Jadaf area, behind the Dubai Police officers club. I used to go there. That market closed and many of the traders moved to Warsan and the souq grew. So I’m a regular customer for two decades.”
Joseph, who buys plants for home as well as his landscaping business, said it’s possible to find just about any indoor and outdoor plant at the souq.
There are bougainvillea, oleander, frangipani, hibiscus, jasmine or aloe Vera, herbs, fruit plants, vegetables and lots more.
“I would say the souq is the best in the UAE in terms of selection; everything’s in one place. You’ll find bonsai and shaped-trees, seasonal varieties … Most of the plants, generally speaking, are imported from various countries. But a lot of local production is going on now. Prices are very reasonable.”
Another regular customer, Saleem Taher from Yemen, added that the souq is a treat for professional gardeners and hobbyists alike.
“You’ll find strange plants, like areca palm, which give out oxygen even at night. It’s a bedroom plant. There’s the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue plant — I don’t know why it’s called that. It acts like an air purifier; you don’t need those machines that people buy,” Taher said.
Shaukat Nawaz, a Pakistani salesman, said most plants are generally low-maintenance, needing watering only once or twice a month. “People should know a little bit about what they are buying. Too much care is as bad as too little care. And no matter how well you care for them, plants die when it’s their time,” he added.
