mealy sage
- noun
- /ˈmiːli seɪdʒ/
- Specialized
:
salvia harinosa
- The vivid blue flowers of the mealy sage attract butterflies and hummingbirds throughout the summer.
Examples
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In Texas landscapes, mealy sage is frequently used as a decorative border plant.
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Gardeners often choose mealy sage for its drought tolerance and easy care.
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The mealy sage blooms beautifully in the summer.
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We planted mealy sage in our garden last spring.
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Gardeners often choose mealy sage for its drought tolerance and easy care.
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In Texas landscapes, mealy sage is frequently used as a decorative border plant.
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The vivid blue flowers of the mealy sage attract butterflies and hummingbirds throughout the summer.
Synonyms
A sage plant from Texas and nearby Mexico with bright blue flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
mealy + sage
The phrase is compositional: 'mealy' (having a meal-like or powdery coating) simply modifies 'sage' (the herb), so the meaning 'a sage plant with powdery/grayish foliage' is directly derivable from the constituents. This follows a standard adjective + noun pattern in English and would be predictable to a learner who knows both words.
Etymology
Mealy sage gets its name from how the plant looks: the word mealy describes a fine, pale, flour-like powder on the leaves made by tiny hairs, and sage shows it is a type of sage, so the name helps you remember a gray, powdery-leaved plant with bright blue flowers.
