wig tree

9.9

A shrub with large feathery plumes that look like puffs of smoke

noun

: árbol de peluca

The wig tree is famous for its large, feathery flowers that look like clouds of smoke.

Examples

The wig tree in her garden produced beautiful feathery plumes every summer.
We planted a wig tree at the edge of the lawn for its striking appearance.
In autumn, the leaves of the wig tree turn vivid shades of red and orange.
The wig tree is known for its unique flowers.
Many gardeners love the wig tree for its beauty.
In late spring, the wig tree blooms with yellowish plumes that attract many bees.
She enjoys the scent of the wig tree when it flowers in her backyard.

Synonyms

Venetian sumac

vswig tree

Specialized

9.9

A small shrub with feathery yellow flower plumes that look like smoke

is an alternate common name for the same plant species

Cotinus coggygria

vswig tree

Specialized

9.9

A bush from Europe and Asia with feathery yellow flowers like smoke

is the alternative common name without the regional label

Surface Forms

wig tree singular

wig trees plural

Morphology

wig + tree

The compound transparently links 'wig' + 'tree', so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a tree with a wig-like appearance (i.e., something about its look). However, the precise botanical sense—an Old World shrub Cotinus coggygria with feathery plumes like puffs of smoke—is specific and not fully predictable from the constituents alone, making the relation only partially clear.

Etymology

Wig tree gets its name from the plant's fluffy flower plumes that sit on the branches like a small wig on a tree. So, people used that image to name the shrub, because the feathery puffs look like 'hair'.