suffrutex
/ˈsʌfruˌtɛks/
noun
- A low-growing, woody plant that is like a shrub but smaller, with a base that is woody and stems that are partly herbaceous.
- The lavender in my garden is a suffrutex, with woody stems near the ground and soft green shoots above.
- Botanists classify the thyme plant as a suffrutex because its lower branches become woody while the upper parts stay flexible.
- In dry regions, many suffrutex species survive by storing water in their woody bases.
Synonyms