desert plume
- noun
- /ˈdɛzərt plum/
- US
:
pluma del desierto
- Every spring, the desert plume bursts into bright yellow bloom in the canyons of Arizona.
Examples
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Gardeners in dry regions often choose desert plume for its drought resistance and ornamental foliage.
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The desert plume is well adapted to arid climates, thriving in rocky soils and full sun.
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The desert plume thrives in arid conditions.
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Many desert plumes can be found in California.
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Every spring, the desert plume bursts into bright yellow bloom in the canyons of Arizona.
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Gardeners in dry regions often choose desert plume for its drought resistance and ornamental foliage.
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The desert plume is well adapted to arid climates, thriving in rocky soils and full sun.
Synonyms
A perennial plant with leathery blue-green divided leaves and thick yellow flower spikes
A plant with blue-green leaves and tall yellow flower spikes that lives many years and grows in dry places
A plant that lives for many years with blue-green divided leaves and tall spikes of yellow flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines 'desert' (an arid region) with 'plume' (a featherlike or plume-shaped form), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it denotes something in the desert that has a plume-like appearance — in this case a plant with plume-like flower spikes. This simple modifier + head composition is compositional and cross-linguistically common, making the meaning derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Desert plume comes from a simple picture: desert shows its dry home and plume means a feather-like spike of bright yellow flowers, like a soft feather standing above the sand. So the name helps you picture this plant that is able to live in dry places, also called 'Prince's plume'.
