maidenhair

[ meyd-n-hair ]

noun

1. any fern of the genus Adiantum, the cultivated species of which have fine, glossy stalks and delicate, finely divided fronds.

Word History and Origins

Origin of maidenhair¹

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; maiden, hair

Example Sentences

Plant maidenhair spleenwort in a container, where you can appreciate its beauty up close.

From Seattle Times

In 2019, Corteva reported that genes for proteins found in maidenhair ferns could protect soybeans from soybean looper and velvetbean caterpillars, and since then both groups have sharpened their focus on ferns.

From Science Magazine

Q: Can someone help resolve a problem I am having with my maidenhair ferns?

From Seattle Times

Jianbin Yan, a plant physiologist at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences’s Agricultural Genomics Institute, and colleagues found similar parallels in a maidenhair fern, Adiantum capillus-veneris.

From Science Magazine

And then, sure, like I like to take on a fun challenge now and again with a more difficult plant to care for — but I have never been successful keeping a maidenhair fern alive.

From Los Angeles Times