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cornflower aster

cornflower aster

9.4
A plant that lives for more than two years with large blue flower heads
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔrnˌflaʊər ˈæstər/
  • US
translation icon : aster aciano
  • The cornflower aster brightened the garden with its vibrant blue blossoms in late summer.

Examples

  • Many pollinators are attracted to the large heads of the cornflower aster.

  • Botanists have noted that the cornflower aster is native to the southeastern United States.

  • The cornflower aster blooms beautifully in the summer.

  • You should plant a cornflower aster in your garden.

  • The cornflower aster is known for its striking blue flowers that attract butterflies.

  • In the wildflowers of the southeastern United States, the cornflower aster stands out with its large, vivid blooms.

  • To add color to your garden, consider the cornflower aster, which thrives in sunny conditions.

Synonyms

stokes' aster
vscornflower aster
  • US
8.6

A tall plant that comes back each year with large blue flowers in the southeastern United States

allows that the flowers are usually blue rather than always blue
Stokesia laevis
vscornflower aster
  • Specialized
9.9

A perennial garden plant from the southeastern United States with large blue daisy-like flowers

refers to the same plant but notes blue colour may vary

Surface Forms

Morphology

cornflower + aster

The noun is a straightforward compound of two plant names: 'cornflower' and 'aster', so its referent (a type of aster associated with cornflower-like blue blossoms) can be directly inferred from the constituents. Plant-naming compounds are a common and predictable composition pattern cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the meaning.

Etymology

Cornflower aster comes from two simple images: cornflower because bright blue flowers were often seen in corn fields, and aster, a word meaning 'star', for its star-like flower head. So, the name describes a blue, star-shaped flower that grows near corn.