prince's-feather

[prin-siz-feth-er]

noun

1. a tall, showy plant, Amaranthus hybridus erythrostachys, of the amaranth family, having reddish foliage and thick spikes of small, red flowers.

2. a hairy, much-branched, plant, Polygonum orientale, of the buckwheat family, native to Asia and Australia, having pink or rose-colored flower spikes, naturalized in North America.

prince's feather

noun

1. an amaranthaceous garden plant, Amaranthus hybridus hypochondriacus, with spikes of bristly brownish-red flowers

2. a tall tropical polygonaceous plant, Polygonum orientale, with hanging spikes of pink flowers

Word History and Origins

Origin of prince's feather¹

First recorded in 1620–30

Example Sentences

Amaranthus, the typical genus, comprises A. caudātus, or love-lies-bleeding, a common plant in gardens, with pendulous racemes of crimson flowers; and A. hypochondriăcus, or prince's feather.

From Project Gutenberg

It is bound in crimson silk, having in the centre a Prince’s Feather worked in gold-thread, with the feathers bound together with large pearls, and round it a wreath of leaves and flowers.

From Project Gutenberg

Next appeared an imposing array of sunflowers, below which prince's feather waved in crimson splendour, and the little brown capital of 'Sweden' stood revealed.

From Project Gutenberg

Flowers: abundance of bloom, 54. anemone, 61. cactus, 56, 62, 74. castilleia, 67. cleome, 67. columbine, 58, 67. cyclamen, 67. extermination by cattle, 208. extermination by tourists, 68. geranium, 58. gilia, 64. golden prince's feather, 65. gummy and clinging stems, 66. harebells, 67. in a niche, 73. in Kansas, 52. mariposa lily, 65. mentzelia, 60. mertensia, 67.

From Project Gutenberg

Finding the gorgeous spike of golden blossoms without a common name, she called it—most happily—the golden prince's feather.

From Project Gutenberg