Have you ever wondered what the difference is between shrubs and bushes? In common usage, the two terms are often used interchangeably. Horticulturally, there is no exact definition of when a plant is a shrub or a bush.
Generally speaking, a bush is a type of shrub, but not all shrubs are bushes. Read on to learn about a few features that are used to distinguish a bush from a shrub, including size, growth habit, foliage, and landscape use.
Shrubs and bushes are woody plants with several perennial stems that may be erect or may stay close to the ground. They usually have a mature height of less than 15 feet and stems no more than about three inches in diameter.
Shrubs vs. Bushes in Horticulture
In classichorticulture, a bush usually refers more to the shape of the plant rather than the type. For example, when describinga plant, you might say it "forms a bush" (as opposed to being tree-like or growing straight up).In classichorticulture, the shrub describes a plant that maintains its structure above the ground all year round. It cannot be split or dividedbecause there is only one set ofroots at the base of the entire plant.
Shrub vs. Bush Foliage
Another popular way to distinguish between bushes and shrubs is through their growth habit and foliage. There are both evergreen shrubs and bushes and deciduous ones. Some consider a bush to have stems and leaves that are almost touching the ground. It can be found in the wild and may grow and intertwine with other bushes and wild plants or grasses. A shrub is viewed as taller than a bush but not as tall as a tree (although there are tall shrubs that are also referred to as trees) and has thicker foliage than a bush. A shrub is commonly groomed, pruned, and shaped, while a bush is often left to grow wild.
Why Location Matters
Another way to distinguish between a shrub and a bush is to consider the setting of the plant in question. For instance, some gardeners think of specimens that are cultivated in a garden tobe considered shrubs. Bushes, on the other hand, are plants out in the wild that fit the definition of a shrub.
While this is a good suggestion, it may not always be a hard and fast rule. Consider rose bushes and blueberry bushes, which are almost exclusively found in cultivated gardens, however, they are not known as rose shrubs and blueberry shrubs but as rose bushes and blueberry bushes.
Other sources have different ideas about the difference between shrubs and bushes. Merriam-Webster says that a bush can be a shrub or also a whole cluster (thicket) of shrubs or shrub-like trees. Others may say that a shrub is smaller and out in the wild, or similar variations.
Shrub, Bush, or Hedge?
Shrubs and bushes are often planted close together to form a hedge. There are many different ways hedges are used in landscaping: as a privacy fence, along a property line or a walkway, or to visually divide an outdoor space. Depending on the height of the plants, hedges are tall or short, evergreen or deciduous, and flowering or non-flowering. Hedges are often trimmed to contain their growth.
One of the most popular evergreen shrubs is the boxwood. These plants are easily shaped, pruned, or trained and clipped into shrub topiaries. Disney is using boxwoods to make the iconic topiaries featured at its theme parks around the world.
FAQs
A shrub is viewed as taller than a bush but not as tall as a tree (although there are tall shrubs that are also referred to as trees) and has thicker foliage than a bush. A shrub is commonly groomed, pruned, and shaped, while a bush is often left to grow wild.
What is the difference between shrubs and bushes? ›
While shrub and bush are often used interchangeably, a bush describes the way a shrub or other plant grows. A shrub is a woody plant with several stems, and it is a bush when it grows densely and closer to the ground.
What is the difference between a tree and a shrub with one example of each? ›
Shrubs tend to be smaller and rounder in shape, with lots of densely-packed stems coming off a main central trunk. In comparison, trees are generally much larger and boast a thicker main trunk and fewer stems.
What is a bush answer? ›
A bush is a large plant which is smaller than a tree and has a lot of branches. Trees and bushes grew down to the water's edge. Synonyms: shrub, plant, hedge, undergrowth More Synonyms of bush.
What is the difference between a brush and a bush? ›
Brush has two meanings: 1) a tool for painting or scrubbing 2) a collection of small bushes and plants, spread evenly so that they seem like one big mass - brush is usually very dry So, a bush in an individual plant, but brush is a collection of them. Underbrush is brush that is under other trees and bigger bushes.
What is a shrub and examples? ›
A plant that is small to medium in size is known as a shrub. They are woody plants that lack a thick hard trunk and differentiated branches. They have large, broad leaves. Examples of shrubs are rose, henna, lemon, tulsi, jasmine, etc.
What's the difference between a tree and a bush? ›
“The difference between trees and shrubs is simple. Trees have a single woody stem, from which branches grow to form a crown. The branches of shrubs arise at ground level, forming a crown without a stem.”
What is shrubs answers? ›
Shrubs are plants with branches that grow near the stem. The stem of the shrub is tough but not particularly thick. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. Example- Tulsi, Rose.
How do you define a bush? ›
bush
- a low plant with many branches that arise from or near the ground.
- a small cluster of shrubs appearing as a single plant.
- something resembling or suggesting this, as a thick, shaggy head of hair.
- Also called bush lot. ...
- the tail of a fox; brush.
- Geography.
Shrubs usually have woody stems above the ground with many branches. They can be clearly distinguished from herbs and trees because they are short and bushy. So, they are also called as bushes.
The name Bush traces its origins to the English language and stems from the Middle English word bush meaning a thicket or dense stand of shrubs or trees.
What is the difference between a bush and a hedge? ›
Hedges are often used for privacy or as a windbreak. Bushes are typically used ornamentally and planted individually.
What is the difference between a shrub and a herb? ›
Herbs and shrubs are the different types of plants categorised based on their size and branching pattern. Herbs have soft and less branched stems, whereas shrubs have woody and profusely branched stems. Shrubs are taller than herbs.
Is a rose bush a shrub? ›
Any plant that arises from the ground without a single woody trunk separating the roots from the branches is technically a shrub rather than a tree. That makes roses—at least those growing on their own God-given roots—shrubs.
Why are they called bushes? ›
Shrubs usually have woody stems above the ground with many branches. They can be clearly distinguished from herbs and trees because they are short and bushy. So, they are also called as bushes.
Why is it called a shrub? ›
Shrub History
The word shrub is derived from the Arabic word sharab, which means “to drink.” These syrups, common in colonial America, were used to make delightful drinks.
