asparagus fern
- noun
- /əˈspærəɡəs fɜrn/
:
espárrago de adorno
- The asparagus fern is a popular choice for indoor gardens because of its feathery, attractive leaves.
Examples
-
The stranger shuffles on the gold carpet, staring over James's shoulder at the asparagus fern in the entryway.
Fiction book (1990) -
So a lot of times you get your asparagus ferns growing and they grow great.
-
She takes his hand and leads him through the front door into a parlor where men and women sit on straight chairs and on a brocade sofa pushed against the wall under a large hanging bucket containing a massive asparagus fern.
Fiction book (1990) -
In the corner of the living room, a thriving asparagus fern adds a touch of greenery to the decor.
-
She decided to place the asparagus fern on the windowsill where it could soak up plenty of sunlight.
Synonyms
A climbing plant with soft feathery leaves used as a house or garden plant
A climbing evergreen plant with thin, feathery leaves often used in flower arrangements
How Ornamental
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun compound where 'asparagus' modifies 'fern' to indicate a fern-like or asparagus-related plant. A B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer it refers to a plant with qualities of asparagus and/or fern-like foliage, so the meaning is compositionally transparent.
Etymology
Asparagus fern gets its name from its soft, feathery stems: the leaves look like a small fern while the plant is actually related to the vegetable asparagus. So, even though it is 'not a true fern', people use it as a delicate house or bouquet plant.