American aloe
- noun
- /əˈmɛrɪkən ˈæloʊ/
- US
:
aloe americana
- The American aloe can live for decades before sending up its towering flower spike.
Examples
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Fibers from the leaves of the American aloe have been traditionally used for making rope and textiles.
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Gardeners often admire the dramatic appearance of the American aloe in landscaping projects.
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The American aloe thrives in warm climates.
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Have you seen the American aloe in the garden?
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Gardeners often admire the dramatic appearance of the American aloe in landscaping projects.
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Fibers from the leaves of the American aloe have been traditionally used for making rope and textiles.
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The American aloe can live for decades before sending up its towering flower spike.
Synonyms
1
7.6
A plant from warm parts of the Americas with large pointed leaves in a round shape and tall flower spikes
A large plant with thick, sword-shaped leaves and a tall flower stalk
A large spiky plant that blooms once after many years and then dies
A large plant with thick leaves from the Americas that makes a tall flower stalk and blooms once before dying
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is compositional: 'American' (from the Americas) modifies 'aloe' (a plant), so the meaning 'an aloe native to or associated with the Americas' follows directly from the constituents. This adjectival + noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and therefore immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
American aloe gets its name from early European visitors who saw the big, spiky Agave plants in the Americas and thought they 'looked like' the true aloe plants they knew from home. That's why the name links 'America' with 'aloe' and explains why the plant is known for fiber and for its dramatic garden look.