Ponga
/ˈpɒŋ.ə/noun
A tree fern, especially the New Zealand silver fern, traditionally known in Māori as ponga.
Did you know?The silver fern’s pale underside helped moonlit Māori hunters identify the trail home, later turning ponga into a national symbol of New Zealand.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European Māori usage
Māori
ponga
“A tree fern, particularly species of the genus Cyathea”
18th–19th Century
Māori
ponga
“A tree fern used as a recognizable plant and material in Aotearoa”
19th Century
English
ponga
“A Māori plant name adopted into New Zealand English”
Modern English
English
ponga
“A New Zealand tree fern, especially the silver fern, Cyathea dealbata”
Explore more surprising origins