What does shrub mean?
A shrub is a woody perennial plant with several lasting stems rather than a single main trunk. Shrubs are generally smaller than trees, although size alone does not determine the category: their branching structure and growth habit are also important. They may be deciduous or evergreen and can produce flowers, fruits, and seeds. Gardeners commonly use shrubs in hedges, borders, ground cover, and ornamental plantings, while wild shrubs form part of many habitats and provide food or shelter for wildlife. The word can also refer collectively to low, dense vegetation, though this broader sense is less common in modern English. Compared with bush, shrub often sounds more formal or horticultural, while scrub usually suggests rough, tangled, or naturally occurring vegetation. A familiar example is a flowering shrub, such as a rose or hydrangea, planted as part of a garden display.
nounA woody perennial plant with several persistent stems that are usually shorter and less distinctly trunked than a tree. Shrubs may bear flowers, fruits, and leaves and can be either deciduous or evergreen.
- A woody perennial plant with several persistent stems, typically smaller than a tree.
"A row of flowering shrubs softened the edge of the garden."
"Hedges and shrubs provide food and shelter for birds and insects."
"This drought-resistant shrub tolerates both heat and poor soil."
The plural is used for individual plants as well as collectively for multiple woody plants.
"Native shrubs provide shelter for small birds."
The oldest sense of shrub was not a single plant but a whole thicket of low-growing vegetation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shrub come from?
The word comes from Old English scryb, meaning a shrub or low growth, probably associated with a word for rough, scrubby vegetation. It developed in English into the modern form shrub. The related English word scrub has the same Germanic heritage but developed different meanings, including both low vegetation and the act of cleaning or rubbing.
Related word forms
How shrub is actually used
In everyday use, shrub is the general term for a compact, bushy woody plant. In horticulture and botany, the distinction between a shrub and a small tree can depend on growth form, stem structure, and pruning practices.
Easily confused with shrub
A shrub is a type of woody plant, whereas scrub commonly denotes dense low vegetation or the act of cleaning a surface.