A shrub is a woody plant that's smaller than a tree and usually has multiple stems growing from the ground instead of a single trunk. While a tree might tower overhead with one thick trunk, a shrub typically grows closer to the ground with several branches spreading out from its base. Think of the bushes you might see planted around the front of a school building or lining a garden path: those are shrubs.

Shrubs come in countless varieties. Some produce flowers, like rose bushes or lilacs. Others stay green year-round, like holly or boxwood. Some shrubs grow wild in forests and fields, while others are carefully planted and pruned (trimmed) into neat shapes for landscaping. A gardener might shape shrubs into hedges: rows of shrubs grown close together to form a living fence or border.

The word can also describe wild, dense vegetation. When explorers hack through thick shrubland or scrub, they're pushing through tangles of these woody plants. In dry regions like parts of California or Australia, shrublands are common landscapes where shorter, tougher plants thrive in conditions where large trees struggle.