Late-ripening is a term used to describe crops that take a longer period to mature. This often means that these crops require more time than usual to reach their optimal level of ripeness. Some of the synonyms for this term include tardy-ripening, delayed-ripening, and slow-ripening. These words share the same connotation but have different nuances to them. Tardy-ripening, for example, suggests a sense of delay or procrastination. Slow-ripening, on the other hand, has a more gradual and steady connotation. Overall, these synonyms offer various ways to describe this unique characteristic of crops, and their usage depends on the context and intent of the speaker or writer.