Definition

Noun: 1. A type of foliage houseplant: "Bar-room plant" is a common name for a specific evergreen perennial plant. It is characterized by its large, attractive leaves that grow primarily at the base of the plant. It is cultivated mainly for its decorative foliage and is commonly kept as an indoor houseplant.

Usage Notes

• The term "bar-room plant" is an informal, common name, not a formal botanical term. It likely originates from the plant's historical popularity as a durable decorative plant in public spaces like bars and taverns.
• It is used to refer to the plant as a whole entity, focusing on its role as a cultivated decorative object.
• This name is less common in modern horticulture, where specific botanical names or other common names (like "cast-iron plant" for ) are preferred.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The old pub was decorated with a hardy bar-room plant in the corner.
  • She prefers low-maintenance greenery like the bar-room plant for her apartment.
  • His grandmother has had the same bar-room plant for over twenty years.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to describe something or someone that is very resilient and can endure neglect or difficult conditions, much like the plant's famous hardiness.
  • That old server is a real bar-room plant; it just keeps running despite everything.

Variants and Related Words

• Cast-iron plant (n): A more modern and widely used common name for the same plant (), emphasizing its durability.
• Aspidistra (n): The botanical genus name, often used to refer to these plants in a more formal or gardening context.
• Foliage plant (n): A general term for plants grown primarily for the beauty of their leaves rather than their flowers.

Synonyms

• Cast-iron plant
• Aspidistra (when referring to )
• Houseplant (in a general sense)

Related Idioms or Phrases

• While not a direct idiom, the phrase "as tough as an aspidistra" captures the plant's proverbial resilience, which is inherent to the concept of a "bar-room plant."

Noun

1. evergreen perennial with large handsome basal leaves; grown primarily as a foliage houseplant