Dictionary

Christmas fern en · NOUN

Etymology

Coined by American botanist John Robinson in 1873. Polystichum acrostichoides had already become a common ornamental plant in the northeastern United States, with its fronds remaining green through Christmas in late December.

Meanings

1. An evergreen fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) of eastern North America.
   • In reference to Dryopteris acrostichoides, it may be of interest to note the origin of the best known common name. The name christmas fern appears to have been thus applied for a comparatively short time. 1899, W. R. Maxon, Fern Bulletin: A Quarterly Devoted to Ferns, volume VII, page 15:
   • Christmas fern can be massed as groundcover, or a clump looks nice tucked into the base of a stump. 2006, Lynn M. Steiner, Landscaping with Native Plants of Michigan, →ISBN, page 135:
   • Our well-known Aspidium acrostichoides, so available for winter decorations, is happily christened Cʜʀɪsᴛᴍᴀs Fᴇʀɴ – a name which I certainly hope will be generally adopted. 1873, D. C. Eaton, edited by John Torrey, Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, volume IV, page 19:

Forms