dwarf phlox
- noun
- /dwɔrf flɑks/
- US
- She planted dwarf phlox along the pathway for year-round greenery and spring blossoms.
Examples
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Dwarf phlox thrives best in well-drained soil and full sunlight.
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The garden bed was bordered with a colorful display of dwarf phlox.
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The garden was filled with beautiful dwarf phlox.
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I love the vibrant colors of dwarf phloxes in spring.
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Dwarf phlox is an excellent choice for ground cover in sunny gardens with its bright pink flowers.
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Every spring, the dwarf phlox blooms beautifully, attracting butterflies to the garden.
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In my flower bed, the dwarf phlox adds a lovely burst of color and remains green throughout the year.
Synonyms
1
7.6
A low, spreading evergreen plant with small pink or white flowers used to cover the ground
1
9.5
A low plant with thin evergreen leaves and pink or white flowers used as ground cover
1
6.5
A low plant with pink or white flowers that spreads to cover the ground
1
7.4
A low plant with thin, green leaves and pink or white flowers used as a ground cover
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is fully compositional: 'dwarf' indicates a small or low-growing variety and 'phlox' names a genus of flowering plants, so together they denote a small/low-growing phlox used as groundcover. This size-modifier + noun pattern is literal and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Dwarf phlox combines dwarf, meaning 'very small', with phlox, a flower name that comes from a Greek word for 'flame' because the blooms look bright like fire. That's why dwarf phlox describes a small, low-growing phlox plant often used as ground cover.