three sisters

noun[plural only]2

1. •
   (US, Canada) The combination of maize (corn), pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris or climbing beans, string beans, etc.), and squash (i.e. pumpkin), especially when planted together in intertwined plantings.

   • The three sisters work together as companion plants in many ways. Growing wide-spreading pumpkin vine among vertically oriented corn and beans saves space. — 2012
2. •
   The spirits or gods of corn, beans, and squash considered collectively.

   • Perhaps the most beautiful conception in the mythology of the Iroquois, is that in relation to the Three Sisters, the Spirit of Corn, the Spirit of Beans, and the Spirit of Squashes. — 1850