witch-broom

A witch flies on her witch-broom across the night sky.

Definition

Noun:
- A plant disease: "witch-broom" refers to a condition in plants, particularly trees and shrubs, where a dense cluster of shoots grows from a single point, resembling a broom. This is often caused by fungi, viruses, or parasitic plants.
- A symptom of infestation: It can also describe the abnormal growth pattern itself, which is a symptom of pathogen infection or pest damage.

Usage Examples

Noun (plant disease):
- The cherry tree developed a witch-broom after being infected by a fungus. (An abnormal cluster of shoots appeared on the tree due to disease.)
- Witch-broom is common in cacao plants and can reduce crop yields. (The disease affects cacao trees, causing them to produce fewer beans.)

Advanced Usage

"Witch-broom disease": a specific plant pathology term used for diseases that cause this symptom.
- The farmer treated the witch-broom disease by pruning the affected branches. (He removed the abnormal growth to prevent the spread.)
"to be infested with witch-broom": to have plants affected by this condition.
- The garden's lilac bushes were infested with witch-broom, making them look misshapen. (The bushes had clusters of abnormal shoots.)

Variants and Related Words

Witches’ broom (alternative spelling): same meaning as witch-broom, often used interchangeably.
- The oak tree had a large witches’ broom near its trunk. (The abnormal growth was visible on the tree.)
Brooming (noun/verb): the process of forming a witch-broom.
- The plant showed signs of brooming after the insect attack. (Abnormal shoot growth began.)

Synonyms

Brooming: the action or result of forming a witch-broom.
Cluster shoot: a descriptive term for the dense growth pattern, though less specific.

Related Idioms

(No common idioms directly involving "witch-broom"; the term is primarily technical in botany.)

Phrasal Verbs