pepper bush

1 7.5

A shrub with sweet-smelling white flower spikes that attract insects

noun
/ˈpɛpər bʌʃ/

: arbusto de pimienta

The pepper bush blooms in late summer, filling the air with a sweet, spicy fragrance.

Examples

Gardeners often plant pepper bush for its attractive white flowers and its ability to attract pollinators.
We spotted a pepper bush growing along the marshy edge of the pond.
The pepper bush blooms beautifully in the spring.
I planted a pepper bush in my garden.
Gardeners often plant pepper bush for its attractive white flowers and its ability to attract pollinators.
The pepper bush blooms in late summer, filling the air with a sweet, spicy fragrance.
We spotted a pepper bush growing along the marshy edge of the pond.

Synonyms

Clethra alnifolia

vspepper bush

Specialized

1 9.9

A shrub from eastern US coasts with clusters of fragrant white flowers

is the same species but emphasizes spike-shaped flower groups instead of clusters

sweet pepperbush

vspepper bush

1 9.6

A bush with spikes of sweet-smelling white flowers that grows near streams and coasts and attracts bees

is the common name for that shrub rather than a descriptive variant

summer sweet

vspepper bush

1 8.4

A bush with fragrant white flowers that bloom in summer

is the same shrub but does not focus on summer flowering timing

Surface Forms

pepper bush singular

pepper bushes plural

Morphology

pepper + bush

The compound is a straightforward noun+noun composition: 'pepper' (a plant producing peppercorns) + 'bush' (a small woody shrub), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a type of shrub related to or characterized by pepper. This follows common English compounding patterns and does not require idiomatic or culture-specific knowledge.

Etymology

Pepper bush probably gets its name from the plant's smell: people noticed its white flowers and leaves gave a warm, pepper-like scent, so they called it pepper and bush. That's why the name means 'a shrub with fragrant, spicy flowers'.