Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees 



99 





the fact that shrubs develop numerous slender above-ground 

 stems from a single base, while trees develop a single stem or 

 trunk. This distinction may be 

 expressed in another way by 

 saying that shrubs branch un- 

 derground, while trees branch 

 only above ground. Most 

 shrubs are less than lo feet in 

 height, but some, like the stag- 

 horn sumac, may reach a height 

 of 20 feet. Most trees are be- 

 tween 25 and 200 feet in height, 

 but the eucalyptus tree of Aus- 

 tralia and the giant sequoias of 

 California are over 300 feet in 

 height, and the massive trunks 



of the latter may be more than Fig. 60. Japanese dwarf pine. Some 

 30 feet in diameter. However, ^f these small potted trees are a cen- 



the distinction between herbs, 



shrubs, and trees is not one of size. Herbaceous plants, like 

 the corn and sunflower, may reach a height of over 15 feet 

 and the banana a height of 30 feet, while some shrubs are only 

 a few inches in height and some of the dwarf trees of Japan 

 that are a century old are less than 5 feet in height (Fig. 60). 

 Plant characteristics and the plant-producing arts. The 

 differences in the habits of growth, longevity, and materials 

 stored by plants has led to specialization among those who 

 grow plants. For many evident reasons the most important 

 art of growing plants is agriculture. The farmer deals entirely 

 with herbs and largely with annuals, though biennials and 

 perennials may be grown for forage crops. He is for the 



