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How are trees different from shrubs?

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Tall giant sequoia trees with reddish bark and thick trunks rise closely together in a dense forest at Sequoia National Park, California. — tree A stand of giant sequoia trees (*Sequoiadendron giganteum*) in Sequoia National Park, California.

Trees and shrubs are both woody plants, but they are generally distinguished by their size, growth habit, and stem structure.12

Trees: Typically defined as woody plants that grow more than 6 meters (about 20 feet) tall. They are characterized by having a single dominant stem, known as a trunk, and a distinct crown shape.12
Shrubs: Generally smaller, usually reaching less than 3 meters (10 feet) in height. Unlike trees, shrubs typically have several stems with no single stem being dominant, and they often produce branches at or near the ground.12

These distinctions are not always absolute. Some plants can take on either form depending on environmental conditions, and there are intermediate forms known as arborescences, or treelike shrubs, which range from 3 to 6 meters tall. Additionally, some species may grow as a shrub in one environment and as a tree in another.1