crimson clover
- noun
- /ˈkrɪmzən ˈkloʊvər/
- US
:
trébol carmesí
- Farmers often plant crimson clover to improve soil fertility and attract pollinators.
- crimson clover seeds
Examples
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Cover crops like crimson clover help prevent soil erosion during heavy rains.
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A thick blanket of crimson clover now covers the rich soil to protect it from the erosive forces of falling raindrops.
Blog text (30) -
In the spring, you can see fields filled with vibrant crimson clover flowers blooming all around.
Synonyms
A plant with red, spiky flowers grown for animal food and to improve soil
A clover with bright red flower heads grown for animal feed and to protect soil
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning — a type of clover that is crimson in color — follows directly from combining 'crimson' (deep red) with 'clover' (a small plant). Color + noun composition for plant names is cross-linguistically common and straightforward, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Crimson clover is simply named for how it looks: crimson means deep red and clover is a low, three-leaf plant, so imagine fields of bright red clover flowers. That's why the name refers to a red-flowered clover often grown as 'forage' and to improve soil.
