What are Shrubs

Question: What are shrubs?

Answer- Shrubs have bushy stems. They are small sized plants with stems that are woody. They are deciduous in nature. The stems of these plants branch out from the base. Some examples include rose, lavender, and hibiscus amongst many others. 

Shrubs have many stems. They are usually not taller than 10 feet. They grow near the ground. They have thin stems that don’t include a main trunk. 

Shrubs are bigger in size than herbs but are smaller in size than trees. Shrubs have a long life, but it is less than that of the trees. 

Periwinkle and thyme are examples of low shrubs with an even smaller size and are known as subshrubs. Shrubs can be deciduous or evergreen. A garden of shrubs is known as the shrubbery. 

Categorisation of shrubs- 

For shrubs between the heights of 2 to 8 m – 

• 70 to 100% foliage cover- closed shrub
• 30 to 70% Mid dense foliage cover- open scrub
• 10 to 30% scanty foliage cover- tall shrubland
• Less than 10% foliage cover- tall open shrubland

For shrubs having a height less than 2 m – 

• 70 to 100% dense foliage cover- closed-heath 
• 30 to 70% mid dense foliage cover- health 
• 10 to 30% scanty foliage cover- low shrubland
• Less than 10% foliage cover- low open shrubland

Shrubs are taller in height than herbs. They have many branches. They have strong wood tissue. They are perennial in nature. Shrubs are not easy to uproot. They have a strong root system that is hard and flexible. 

Shrubs can be grown in any type of soil. They are seasonal plants that thrive in a sunny environment. Shrubs usually don’t grow taller than 15 feet. They are often used to fence a garden and are also used as a decoration planting for events and gatherings. 

Some of the species of shrubs that are easily found are Australian Fuschia, Camellia, and Sunrose.