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spike heath

spike heath

9.9
A small evergreen shrub that grows flat like a mat with stiff stems and small bell-shaped flowers
  • noun
translation icon : brezo espigado
  • Gardeners often use spike heath for groundcover because of its dense, mat-forming growth.

Examples

  • The spike heath is valued in rock gardens for its attractive clusters of flowers.

  • The spike heath blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Botanists discovered a new population of spike heath on the Mediterranean hillside.

  • Many gardeners love the spike heath for its low maintenance.

  • Gardeners often use spike heath for groundcover because of its dense, mat-forming growth.

  • Botanists discovered a new population of spike heath on the Mediterranean hillside.

  • The spike heath is valued in rock gardens for its attractive clusters of flowers.

Synonyms

Bruckenthalia spiculifolia
vsspike heath
  • Specialized
9.9

Small evergreen shrub that grows close to the ground with clusters of bell-shaped flowers

is the common name used for that same plant
Bruckenthalia
vsspike heath
  • Specialized
9.9

A small evergreen plant with pink flower spikes like a heath

refers to a single species rather than the broader genus

Surface Forms

spike heath singular
spike heaths plural

Morphology

spike + heath

The noun is a straightforward compound: 'spike' (a flowering stalk) modifies 'heath' (a small evergreen shrub), so the phrase denotes a type of heath characterized by spike-like flowering stems. Botanical modifier+head formation is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer this meaning.

Etymology

Spike heath comes from how the plant looks. Its stiff stems end in small, spike-like flower clusters called the spike, and 'heath' is a word for low, shrubby land, so spike heath names a small, low-growing shrub that forms dense mats and has little bell-shaped flowers.