A subshrub (Latin "suffrutex") is a woody perennial plant. Gardeners use the word to distinguish plants from a shrub that have lower height, typically less than 10–20 cm tall, or that are only weakly woody and/or persist only for a few years. Small, low shrubs such as lavender, periwinkle, and thyme, and many members of the family Ericaceae, such as cranberries, are often classed as subshrubs.