snow-on-the-mountain

[snoh-on-thuh-moun-tn, -awn-]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a spurge, Euphorbia marginata, of the western U.S., having leaves with white margins and white petallike bracts.

noun

a North American euphorbiaceous plant, Euphorbia marginata, having white-edged leaves and showy white bracts surrounding small flowers

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Word History and Origins

Origin of snow-on-the-mountain¹

An Americanism dating back to 1875–80

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Fittingly, its cousin, Euphorbia marginata, grows nearby and is called snow-on-the-mountain.

From

The wild flowers disappeared, and only in the bottom of the draws and gullies grew a few of the very toughest and hardiest: shoestring, and ironweed, and snow-on-the-mountain.

From

The pasture was flooded with light; every clump of ironweed and snow-on-the-mountain threw a long shadow, and the golden light seemed to be rippling through the curly grass like the tide racing in.

From

snow monster snowpack

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