as·pi·dis·tra

(ăs′pĭ-dĭs′trə)

Any of various eastern Asian plants of the genus Aspidistra, especially A. elatior, which has large evergreen basal leaves and small, brownish bell-shaped flowers and is widely cultivated as a houseplant. Also called cast-iron plant.

[New Latin Aspidistra, genus name, from Greek aspis, aspid-, shield.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

aspidistra

(ˌæspɪˈdɪstrə)

(Plants) any Asian plant of the liliaceous genus Aspidistra, esp A. lurida, a popular house plant with long tough evergreen leaves and purplish flowers borne on the ground

[C19: from New Latin, from Greek aspis shield, on the model of Tupistra genus of liliaceous plants]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

as•pi•dis•tra

(ˌæs pɪˈdɪs trə)

n., pl. -tras.

any of several E Asian plants of the genus Aspidistra, of the lily family, having long, glossy leaves often striped with white.

[1815–25; < New Latin]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

aspidistra - evergreen perennial with large handsome basal leaves; grown primarily as a foliage houseplant

Aspidistra elatio, bar-room plant, cast-iron plant

herb, herbaceous plant - a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests

genus Aspidistra - genus of eastern Asiatic herbs; sometimes placed in the family Convallariaceae

Translations

aspidistra

[ˌæspɪˈdɪstrə] N → aspidistra f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

aspidistra

n → Aspidistra f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

aspidistra

[ˌæspɪˈdɪstrə] n → aspidistra

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

An easy plant to give a room a botanical burst is the old favourite aspidistra. Known as the cast iron plant, it thrives on neglect.

Grow your inner calm; 44 LIFESTYLE Gardening with Adrienne Wild; Pots of well-being

Jamie recommends trying out Aspidistra, Monstera or cacti.

How not to kill your plants if you're a millennial

The plant Aspidistra elatior can survive harsh conditions and doesn't need much upkeep or attention.

Tough plant has appropriately tough name

"It is, for the most part, a green garden all during the year," says Bradley, "with aspidistra, Japanese holly fern, varieties of hostas, and numerous other ferns."

SEASONS in bloom: A Greenville gardener orchestrates a yearlong peaceful retreat from everyday life

ASPIDISTRA: THE CAST IRON PLANT THE aspidistra really is as hard as nails.

Bloom with a view; Cheering up a home with houseplants can be a boost for your health. But when light is at a premium, how can you conquer the gloom in the room?

flair to y ASP T ASPIDISTRA: THE CAST IRON PLANT THE aspidistra really is as hard as nails.

PLANTS FOR LOW-LIGHT HOUSES AND SHADY ROOMS

DEFIANT The 'cast iron' aspidistra will just thrive

Bloom with a view; Gardening club; Cheering up a home with houseplants can be a boost for your health. But when light is at a premium, how can you conquer the gloom in the room?

Some old-fashioned terms, such as "foolscap" and "aspidistra," will be unfamiliar to teens but will not detract from the storyline.

Llewelyn, Haf. An Empty Chair: The Tragic Story of Welsh Poet Hedd Wynn

He discusses educating Eric Blair (Orwell's birth name) and Burmese Days; Paris and London; A Clergyman's Daughter, Keep the Aspidistra Flying, and The Road to Wigan Pier; Homage to Catalonia, Coming Up for Air, and the outbreak of war; the Second World War; 1945-46 and Animal Farm, and 1947-49 and Nineteen Eighty-Four.

George Orwell and Religion

Ieuan remembered that parlour, with its aspidistra and heavy, gilt-edged Bible resting on the stand before the lace-skirted window.

MORNING SERIAL

Dear Diarmuid, I bought an aspidistra house plant and it came with no instructions on feeding or watering, or why the tips of the leaves turn brown.

YOU ASK..