also: ばらん
noun
cast iron plant; Aspidistra elatior
A hardy evergreen perennial native to Japan and Taiwan, often used as a houseplant or in landscaping.
ハランは日陰でもよく育つ観葉植物です。
The cast iron plant is a foliage plant that grows well even in the shade.
noun
baran; green plastic garnish
A decorative plastic divider or leaf-shaped sheet used in bento boxes and sushi trays, originally made from real cast iron plant leaves.
お弁当の仕切りにバランを使う。
I use a baran to separate the items in my bento.
Kanji spelling is rare; the plant is almost always written in kana.
The plant name ハラン is of uncertain origin. The garnish sense derives from the traditional use of the plant's leaves as a natural divider in food presentation, later replaced by plastic imitations.