suffrutice

Suffrutice, often written suffruticose, is a plant growth form used in botany to describe perennials that maintain a persistent, often woody base from which herbaceous or semi-woody shoots regrow each season. The term denotes habit rather than a taxonomic group, and it can apply to plants across various families.

Morphology and ecology

Plants classified as suffruticose have a woody base, such as a crown or caudex, that survives year after year. The above-ground shoots are typically herbaceous or only lightly woody and may die back during winter or dry periods, with new growth arising from the base when conditions improve. This growth form is common in environments with seasonal drought, fire, or other stress factors, particularly in Mediterranean-type and arid ecosystems. The habit represents an intermediate growth form between herbaceous perennials and true shrubs.

Etymology and terminology

The term derives from Latin suffrutex, meaning “almost woody” or “shrub,” and suffruticosus is the adjective form. In some classifications, suffrutice is treated as a subset of subshrubs, since both describe perennials with persistent woody bases, though subshrubs may retain more above-ground woody structure.

Relation to other forms and uses

As a non-taxonomic growth form, suffruticose plants are described for their ecological and horticultural characteristics rather than for their lineage. They are valued in xeriscaping, erosion control, and restoration in dry or fire-prone landscapes due to their resilience and regrowth from the base.

See also: growth forms, subshrub, caudex.