foliage plant

noun

: a plant grown primarily for its decorative foliage

Examples of foliage plant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Feed foliage plants on the patio or porch every other week or use a slow-release fertilizer. — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026 Other foliage plants include Begonia rex with all sorts of colors and patterns or Fittonia with red, pink, or white stripes on green leaves. — Dr. Matthew Lisy, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026 Ahead, horticulturists share their favorite perennials for growing next to hydrangeas, from striking foliage plants to small flowering trees. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 22 June 2026 This will keep foliage plants green and lush, and support blooming in flowering varieties. — Cori Sears, The Spruce, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for foliage plant

Word History

First Known Use

1862, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foliage plant was in 1862

Rhymes for foliage plant

See All Rhymes for foliage plant

Browse Nearby Words

foliageous
foliage plant
folial
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foliage plant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foliage%20plant. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on foliage plant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about foliage plant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All