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Glite Dictionary
Colorado River hemp

Colorado River hemp

9.7
A tall annual plant that grows along rivers in the US southwest and improves soil while giving strong fiber
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : cáñamo del río Colorado
  • The farmers planted Colorado River hemp as a cover crop to improve the soil.

Examples

  • Historically, Colorado River hemp was valued for its strong fibers used in making cordage.

  • You can spot Colorado River hemp growing along riverbanks in the southwestern United States.

  • The Colorado River hemp is known for its tall stature.

  • Farmers in Arizona often grow Colorado River hemp as green manure.

  • Farmers in Arizona often grow Colorado River hemp as green manure to enrich the soil.

  • You can spot Colorado River hemp growing along riverbanks in the southwestern United States.

  • Historically, Colorado River hemp was valued by Indigenous peoples for its strong fibers.

Synonyms

Sesbania exaltata
vsColorado River hemp
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall annual plant grown to improve soil and give strong fiber for rope

is used similarly but its fiber served broader uses beyond cordage

Surface Forms

Colorado River hemp singular
Colorado River hemps plural

Morphology

Colorado + river + hemp

The phrase is a straightforward place-name + noun compound: a type of hemp associated with the Colorado River region. A B1 learner who knows 'Colorado' (as a place), 'river', and 'hemp' can readily infer this compositional meaning, and such geographic + noun constructions are cross-linguistically common and transparent.

Etymology

Colorado River hemp is a tall plant that grew along the Colorado River and was valued for its strong hemp fibers used to make 'rope'. People also planted it as a cover crop 'to help the soil', so the name points to both where the plant grew and why it was useful.