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Glite Dictionary
Rhododendron maxima

Rhododendron maxima

9.5
A large flowering bush from eastern North America that blooms pink or purple in late spring
  • noun
  • /ˌroʊdəˈdɛndrən ˈmɑːksɪmə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Rhododendron maxima
  • The Rhododendron maxima in our garden burst into vibrant pink bloom every May.

Examples

  • The showy flowers of Rhododendron maxima attract many visitors to local parks during late spring.

  • Botanists have documented the widespread presence of Rhododendron maxima in the Appalachian region.

  • The Rhododendron maxima blooms beautifully in late spring.

  • Have you seen the Rhododendron maxima at the botanical garden?

  • The Rhododendron maxima in our garden burst into vibrant pink bloom every May.

  • The showy flowers of Rhododendron maxima attract many visitors to local parks during late spring.

  • Botanists have documented the widespread presence of Rhododendron maxima in the Appalachian region.

Synonyms

rosebay
vsRhododendron maxima
  • US
8.8

A large shrub with pink flowers that blooms in late spring

is the precise species description rather than a general plant name

Surface Forms

Rhododendron maxima singular
Rhododendron maximas plural

Morphology

rhododendron + maxima

This is a Latin binomial (genus + specific epithet): a learner who knows 'rhododendron' can infer it names a kind/species of rhododendron, so the basic category is compositional. However 'maxima' is not an English lexeme here (and is absent from the provided dictionary entry), and the full descriptive sense (native range, flower color, etc.) is not predictable from the parts; recognition depends on knowledge of Latin naming conventions or the root 'maxi-/maximum'.

Etymology

Rhododendron maxima comes from two old words: Rhododendron meaning 'rose' and 'tree' for its showy, rose-like flowers, and maxima meaning 'largest' because this plant grows larger than many other rhododendrons. So the name helps you picture a very large rhododendron with big pink flowers that blooms in late spring in eastern North America.