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vase vine

vase vine

9.9
A climbing plant with large red-purple bell-shaped flowers and thick leaf-like parts under the flowers
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : Clematis viorna
  • Botanists studied the unique leathery sepals of the vase vine in its native habitat.

Examples

  • She trained the vase vine to climb up the trellis on her porch.

  • The vase vine blossoms added a vivid pop of color to the garden fence.

  • The vase vine blooms beautifully in spring.

  • I love the color of the vase vine flowers.

  • Botanists studied the unique leathery sepals of the vase vine in its native habitat.

  • She trained the vase vine to climb up the trellis on her porch.

  • The vase vine blossoms added a vivid pop of color to the garden fence.

Synonyms

vase-fine
vsvase vine
  • US
9.9

A climbing small bush from the southeastern United States with large red-purple bell-shaped flowers

is written with a different spelling and punctuation form used in names
Clematis viorna
vsvase vine
  • Specialized
9.9

A climbing plant with large purple-red bell-shaped flowers

is smaller in growth and is a subshrub rather than a full shrub
leather flower
vsvase vine
  • US
9.1

A climbing plant with thick, leather-like outer parts and bell-shaped blooms

is narrower focusing on a specific climbing subshrub from the southeast

Surface Forms

vase vine singular
vase vines plural

Morphology

vase + vine

The compound is a straightforward modifier-noun combination: 'vase' narrows the kind of 'vine', so a learner who knows both words can infer this refers to a type of climbing plant associated with or having vase-like characteristics. This compositional pattern is common and allows a B1 learner to grasp the general referent (a particular kind of vine) even if specific botanical details are not predictable.

Etymology

Vase vine may come from the look of its flowers. One popular story says the large, bell-like blooms curve like a small vase and the plant climbs like a vine, so the name helps you remember it is a 'climbing plant' with 'vase-shaped' flowers.