Skip to main content
moonflower

moonflower

2 7.3
A climbing plant that makes large white flowers that open at night and smell sweet
  • noun
  • /ˈmuːnˌflaʊər/
translation icon : flor de luna
  • Every evening, the moonflowers in our garden begin to bloom, their fragrant white petals unfolding under the stars.
  • moonflower (Ipomoea alba)
  • moonflower vine
  • white moonflower

Examples

  • In my backyard, a moonflower vine grows along the fence.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • The moonflower shimmers with its great white fabric, unfolding into an exotic smell.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The sacred datura, or moonflower, blooms only at night, its white, trumpet-shaped flowers as rich in ghostly dreams as they are in fragrance.

    Academic text (1994)
  • You'll adore the inviting fragrance of Brunfelsia, hyssops, roses, as well as moonflowers, especially in complete bloom, as well as the certain flow associated with seeing stars.

    Blog text (17)
  • In my backyard, a moonflower vine grows along the fence, filling the air with its sweet scent at night.

  • Beth and Margaret trained moonflowers (Ipomoea alba) to climb the wall, where their large white blooms open in the dark.

Synonyms

Ipomoea alba
vsmoonflower
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical climbing plant with large white fragrant flowers that open at night

is the common name used in general speech rather than the scientific label
belle de nuit
vsmoonflower
9.9

A tropical climbing plant with white, sweet-smelling flowers that open at night

is the regional label for tropical or subtropical climbers rather than pantropical usage
Abronia fragrans
vsmoonflower
  • Specialized
9.9

A tall wildflower with white sweet-smelling flowers that open at night

is a tropical climbing species rather than a tall North American wildflower

Surface Forms

moonflower singular
moonflowers plural

Morphology

moonflower = moon + flower (transparent) = moon + flower

A straightforward compound of 'moon' + 'flower' referring to a flower associated with the night, so the meaning is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word moonflower comes from the two simple words moon and flower, with moon suggesting 'night' and flower meaning a 'bloom'. So, a moonflower is a plant that opens its large, often white, fragrant flowers at night to attract pollinators in the dark.