Christmas fern

American  

noun

1. an evergreen fern, Polystichum acrostichoides, having dense clusters of stiff fronds growing from a central rootstock.

---

Etymology

Origin of Christmas fern

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

“This is one of my favorites. The appearance is similar to Christmas fern but lighter in color and more robust,” he said.

From Washington Post • Jul. 8, 2015

The Christmas fern is one of the easiest ferns to grow and takes a range of conditions.

From Washington Post • Jul. 8, 2015

But Esther Carpi’s red beet, Mary Paige Hickey’s Christmas fern and Lee Boulay D’Zmura’s radish are no less precisely rendered.

From Washington Post • Dec. 26, 2014

Its southern limits nearly coincide with the northern limits of the Christmas fern.

From The Fern Lover's Companion A Guide for the Northeastern States and Canada by Tilton, George Henry

There is no doubt what species is meant when one speaks of the Christmas fern, the ostrich fern, the long beech fern, the interrupted fern, etc.

From The Fern Lover's Companion A Guide for the Northeastern States and Canada by Tilton, George Henry