Johnson grass
- noun
- /ˈdʒɒnsən ɡræs/
- US
:
hierba Johnson
- In the southern United States, Johnson grass is considered a problematic weed in many fields.
Examples
-
When managing a pasture, it's important to identify Johnson grass to prevent it from overtaking other crops.
-
Was there any Johnson grass or milkweed around?
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Farmers often struggle to control Johnson grass because it spreads quickly through its rhizomes.
Synonyms
A tall grass that spreads underground and is used for animal food but is a harmful weed
A tall grass that spreads by creeping roots and feeds animals but can be a farm pest
A tall grass that grows back each year, used to feed animals and often a harmful weed
Surface Forms
Morphology
Johnson + grass
The headword combines a proper name with 'grass', so a B1 learner who knows 'Johnson' as a name and 'grass' will likely infer it denotes a type/kind of grass. However, the specific botanical identity and pragmatic details (that it is Sorghum halepense, a tall perennial often considered a noxious weed) are not predictable from the constituents, so the meaning is only partially recoverable without exposure.
Etymology
Johnson grass may come from a man named Johnson who brought the grass to American fields long ago. One story says he planted it for animal food, but it spread so fast it took over the fields, so the name now brings to mind a tall, fast-spreading 'weed'.
