white mullein
- noun
- Specialized
:
mullein blanco
- The white mullein is easily recognized by its dense, hairy leaves and raceme of white flowers.
Examples
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We found a tall white mullein growing at the edge of the meadow.
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Gardeners sometimes plant white mullein for its ornamental value and to attract pollinators.
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The white mullein grows abundantly in the wild.
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Have you seen the white mullein flowering in the garden?
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Gardeners sometimes plant white mullein for its ornamental value and to attract pollinators.
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The white mullein is easily recognized by its dense, hairy leaves and raceme of white flowers.
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We found a tall white mullein growing at the edge of the meadow.
Synonyms
A tall plant from Europe and Asia with hairy leaves and spikes of white flowers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward adjective+noun composition: 'white' modifies 'mullein', so the meaning is literally a mullein plant that is white (e.g. with white flowers). This is a regular, cross-linguistically common descriptive pattern in English, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily derive the meaning.
Etymology
The name white mullein is very literal: mullein comes from an old word meaning 'soft' because the leaves are thick and hairy, and white points to the plant's white flower spikes, so the name helps you remember a soft, furry herb with white flowers.
