Horsebean (Noun)
Meaning 1
Large shrub or shrubby tree having sharp spines and pinnate leaves with small deciduous leaflets and sweet-scented racemose yellow-orange flowers; grown as ornamentals or hedging or emergency food for livestock; tropical America but naturalized in southern United States.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The large estate utilized rows of horsebean shrubs for ornamental purposes as well as to serve as an emergency food source for their livestock.
- Horsebean, when planted as hedges, can create an efficient barrier to keep intruders away and livestock in, given the sharp spines it has.
- Locals in tropical America would forage horsebean flowers due to their sweet scent, but tourists were warned not to because some parts of the plant can be toxic.
- After extensive landscaping, horsebean became an integral part of the natural landscape in certain parts of southern United States where it had been fully naturalized.
- Given its tropical origin, cultivating horsebean required more care in places with extreme weather conditions than it would in warmer climates where it grows naturally.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Seed of the broad-bean plant.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The horsebean seed was planted at the end of winter to secure an early spring harvest.
- Horsebean seeds can be sown directly in the ground after the last frost.
- In some regions, horsebean seeds were traditionally considered a good source of protein for humans and animals alike.
- Rich in nutrients, horsebean seeds can be roasted and eaten as a snack.
- Farmers often used horsebean seeds as a potential cover crop for improving soil health.