The Difference Between Shrubs and Shrubs (and Why It Matters)

Gardening may be a relaxing hobby for you, but gardening is also a science with its own set of terms. This is not surprising, given the precision required to create the conditions necessary for the survival of some plants.

Yet there are some horticultural and landscaping terms that are used inconsistently or lack a standard definition, such as “shrub” and “shrub”. Words are often used interchangeably, but do they refer to the same thing? Here’s what you need to know about the difference between shrubs and shrubs.

What is the difference between bush and bush?

As it turns out, this question is not so easy to answer. This is because there are no standard, generally accepted, or consistently used definitions of “shrub” and “shrub”, including among gardeners. Many resources from local extension offices or horticultural societies either use the terms interchangeably or only refer to shrubs in their content.

The only exception (at least to what is available online) is the Dictionary of the National Garden Association , which gives the following definitions:

• bush : “a shrub with branches; dense shrub; technically, a low and highly branched shrub.”
• shrub : “a woody plant, usually smaller than a tree, that produces multiple stems rather than a single stem from the base.”

Based on these definitions, it turns out that a bush is a type of shrub, and bushes are mini-trees without a trunk. According to the National Park Service , the trees have a trunk over two inches in diameter at 4.5 feet from the ground and are typically over 20 feet tall.

Meanwhile, Jerry Goodspeed , a horticulturist at the University of Utah, also uses the terms “shrub” and “bush” interchangeably, noting that both words refer to a “woody plant” that reaches a mature height of 1.5 to 10 feet. “Anything less is ground cover,” he explained in an interview . “Anything more is a tree.”

While our search for definitions didn’t quite clear things up, it’s a good reminder to ask questions and research plants and trees before buying them. Instead of assuming that all plants in a particular category are cared for the same way, it’s important to figure out what each one needs to thrive.