snow on the mountain
snow on the mountain Lexical Profile
• noun
North American A North American annual plant (Euphorbia marginata) in the spurge family, native to parts of the United States, characterized by upper leaves with striking wide white margins that resemble snow, widely cultivated as an ornamental.
"The gardener planted snow on the mountain along the border to add a striking white contrast to the dark green foliage of the surrounding shrubs."
A common name occasionally applied to several other cultivated plants with white-variegated leaves, such as bishop's weed (Aegopodium podagraria), due to their similar visual effect in a garden.
"Although true snow on the mountain is an annual spurge, some local nurseries use the name for spreading variegated groundcovers."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named for its distinctive foliage, which features wide white margins on the upper leaves that give the appearance of snow resting on the plant.