swamp pink

noun

1. a bog plant, Helonias bullata, of the lily family, native to the eastern U.S., having a dense spike of small, fragrant pink flowers.
2. arethusa ( def 1 ).
3. any of several other pink-flowered plants that grow in wet places.

Word History and Origins

Origin of swamp pink¹

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

Green sprouts of the sassafras, hazel, blueberry, and swamp-pink found.

From Project Gutenberg

But we soon came to higher banks, which were covered with a fragrant blossom called the "swamp pink" in some parts of the North.

From Project Gutenberg

To hear a lovely bunch of the Arethusa called Swamp Pink is not so strange.

From Project Gutenberg

These had a sub-acid, delicious flavor, not unlike the smell of the swamp pink, which grew in the same spot.

From Project Gutenberg