bean tree

6.6

A tree that has long seed pods that look like beans and showy flowers

noun
/biːn triː/

: árbol de frijol

The catalpa is a well-known bean tree with showy flowers and long seedpods.

Examples

The bean tree grows tall and provides shade.
The bean trees in this region attract a variety of birds with their pods.
Many gardeners plant the bean tree for its ornamental appearance and shade.
Many bean trees are found in tropical climates.
The park was filled with the beautiful flowers of the bean tree, attracting many visitors each spring.
In the botanical garden, the tall bean trees stood out with their long seedpods and vibrant foliage.
Farmers often plant bean trees near their fields, as their pods provide a natural habitat for wildlife.

Synonyms

Indian bean

vsbean tree

7.4

A large tree with heart-shaped leaves, white flowers and long thin seed pods

is a general name for trees that bear legume-like seedpods

ice-cream bean

vsbean tree

9.9

A tropical evergreen tree with long pods of soft white pulp you can eat

is any tree noted for bearing legume-like seedpods rather than other fruits

coral bean tree

vsbean tree

9.3

A small tree with bright red flowers and red seeds with black spots

is a broader term for trees with legume-like seedpods not species specific

coral bean

vsbean tree

9.5

A shrub or small tree with divided leaves, blue flower spikes and red seeds, some poisonous to farm animals

is used for any tree bearing pods shaped like legume seeds

jumby bean

vsbean tree

9.9

A small Caribbean tree with purple flower clusters and bright black or red seeds often used for jewelry

is a general name for trees that bear legume-like seedpods

Surface Forms

bean tree singular

bean trees plural

Morphology

bean + tree

The meaning 'a tree that has seedpods resembling beans' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'bean' (edible seed/pod) with 'tree' (a tall perennial plant). This noun–noun compounding pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows ordinary compositional semantics, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun bean tree comes from a simple picture: people saw a tree that made long, bean-like seed pods and called it a bean tree. So today the name means 'a tree with seed pods that look like beans'.