butterfly bush
- noun
- /ˈbʌtərˌflaɪ bʌʃ/
- The first is a plant that I never want to produce anything but blooms: the Buddleia or "butterfly bushes."
- butterfly bush (Buddleia)
Examples
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He got out and looked at me where I stood in the shade of my mother's butterfly bush.
Fiction book (1997) -
And then the other butterfly Bush, I took that back by about half or so.
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There are some cool plants in it now (butterfly bush, evergreen, other bird/bee friendly plants).
Blog text (20) -
Black lace, elderberry, there's a butterfly Bush here, boxwood.
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She's also had good luck with Montauk daisies, butterfly bushes, lilacs, lavender, and creeping thyme.
Blog text (28) -
In the garden, the butterfly bush bloomed beautifully, attracting dozens of butterflies.
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The vibrant flowers of the butterfly bush make it a favorite among gardeners who want to attract pollinators.
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She planted several butterfly bushes to create a colorful oasis for butterflies and other wildlife.
Synonyms
A shrub with long groups of bright flowers that attract butterflies
How Attractive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is compositionally built: 'butterfly' modifies 'bush' to indicate a bush associated with butterflies (one that attracts them or is related to them). This is a straightforward modifier + noun compound following common cross-linguistic naming patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The noun butterfly bush is named for the plant's bright flower clusters that bring many butterflies: the butterfly lands on the flowers of the bush to feed. So, the name means 'a shrub that attracts butterflies'.