desert rose
1
7.7
- noun
- /ˈdɛzərt roʊz/
- In the garden, the desert rose attracts butterflies with its vibrant colors.
Examples
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You know, she she had these desert roses in my grandmother's home.
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But if you've ever seen a flower called desert rose, desert rose is porchalaca, otherwise known as bursine.
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The desert rose thrives in warm climates and is admired for its striking pink flowers.
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She planted a desert rose in a pot to brighten up her balcony.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A small thick-stemmed plant from dry places with showy pink or white flowers
1
9.9
A small South African shrub with a thick stem that stores water and bright pink or white flowers
A shrub with a thick, fleshy stem and bright pink and white flowers that bloom after the leaves fall
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines the easily understood words 'desert' and 'rose', so a B1 learner would likely infer it refers to a rose-like plant associated with dry/arid environments (i.e., a plant that looks like a rose or grows in desert conditions). However, the term denotes a specific succulent species (and can also refer to a mineral formation), so the exact botanical referent and details are not fully predictable from the parts alone.
Etymology
Desert rose is named for its pretty, rose-like flowers that grow on a thick, water-storing stem in very dry places. The image of a rose in a desert makes the name easy to remember and explains why it refers to this showy plant today.