What is the difference between shrubs and trees
Today's sharing: What is the difference between shrubs and trees and some common knowledge of flowering plant cultivation, let's follow the editor to see it!
Shrubs and trees are the two major classifications in botany, and they have distinct differences in morphological characteristics, growth habits, and application scenarios. Here is a detailed analysis of the differences between them and common species:
### One, the core differences between shrubs and trees1. - Height difference - - Trees: Obvious trunk, usually over 6 meters high, such as camphor trees, ginkgos, which can grow over 20 meters - Shrubs: No obvious trunk, plant height mostly below 6 meters, typical examples are azaleas and ligustrum, usually between 1-3 meters2. - Branching characteristics - - Trees: Clear trunk, branching point usually above 1.5 meters, forming a distinct tree canopy - Shrubs: Base branching is often bushy, with no obvious apical dominance3. - Degree of lignification - - Trees: Well-developed xylem, hard and durable stems, obvious annual rings - Shrubs: Lower degree of lignification, some varieties have flexible branches (such as forsythia)4. - Life cycle - - Trees: Long lifespan, ginkgos can live for thousands of years - Shrubs: Most live for 20-50 years, a few like crape myrtle can live for a century5. - Root characteristics - - Trees: Deep roots, main root obvious - Shrubs: Shallow roots, lateral roots developed
### Two, representative species and characteristics- Common trees (20 species) -1. Deciduous trees - Plane tree (French sycamore): Fast-growing species, bark is mottled and peels off - Chinese scholar tree: Pinnate leaves, strong resistance to pollution - Paulownia: Palmately lobed leaves, bark is greenish - Poplar: Well-developed roots, adaptable - Willow: Soft catkins, tolerant to moisture2. Evergreen trees - Cedar: Pyramidal tree crown, needle leaves clustering - Magnolia grandiflora: Thick leathery leaves, large white flowers - Camphor tree: Whole plant has camphor smell - Palm: Single trunk, leaves clustering at the top - Osmanthus: Leathery leaves, flowers in autumn
- Typical shrubs (20 species) -1. Flower-viewing category - Rose: Compound leaves alternate, flowering period up to 8 months - Gardenia: Bright green leaves, flowers have a strong fragrance - Hydrangea: Cymose inflorescence, flower color changes with soil pH - Redbud: Flowers on old stems, flowering period from March to April - Hibiscus: Funnel-shaped flowers, bloom in the morning and fall at night2. Fruit-viewing category - Firethorn: Red fruit does not fall in winter - Nandina: Paniculate inflorescence, bright red berries - Holly: Leaf margin spines, red fruit clustering3. Modeling category - Boxwood: Small leathery leaves, tolerant to pruning - Pittosporum: Leaf surface waxy, strong resistance - Red loropetalum: Leaves are purple-red, filaments are thin and long
### Three, practical application differences1. - Landscape configuration - - Trees: Used as street trees (such as ginkgo), shade trees (such as zelkova), windbreak forests (such as casuarina) - Shrubs: Green hedges (ligustrum), flower borders (spirea), ground cover (cypress)2. - Ecological function - - Trees: The carbon sequestration per unit area is 3-5 times that of shrubs - Shrubs: Good ground coverage, preventing soil and water loss3. - Maintenance points - - Trees: Need regular pruning (to maintain canopy), whitewashing (to prevent frost and insects) - Shrubs: Pruning after flowering (to promote secondary flowering), regular renewal of old branches
### Four, special transitional types1. - Small trees - - Height between 3-6 meters, such as crape myrtle, pomegranate - Can be trained as single-trunk or multi-trunk bushy2. - Subshrubs - - Base lignified, upper part herbaceous, such as lavender, rosemary
### Five, selection suggestions1. Choose by space: - Courtyard below 15㎡: Shrubs preferred (such as June snow) - West side of building: Evergreen trees (such as magnolia) are suitable for shading2. Choose by function: - Sound insulation and dust prevention: Coral tree (shrub) combined with plane tree (tree) - Seasonal change: Red leaf plum (tree) + Golden ligustrum (shrub)By understanding these differences, one can more scientifically carry out plant configuration. Trees form the landscape skeleton, while shrubs enrich the level of detail. The combination of the two can create a more complete ecological landscape system. In practical applications, it is also necessary to consider the specific species' light requirements, soil adaptability, and other growth characteristics.
The above is[] about the difference between shrubs and trees and the detailed content of common species, hoping to bring you help!