Habit (biology)

This cultivar of Japanese Maple has a dome-like habit.

Habit, when used in the context of biology, refers to the instinctive actions of animals and the natural tendencies of plants.

In zoology, this term is used most often to describe where an animal spends most of its life cycle. For example:

The spider monkey has an arboreal habit and rarely ventures onto the forest floor.

In botany, the term is used most often to describe the general appearance, growth form, or architecture, of a plant. For example:

Many species of maple have a shrubby habit and may form bushes or hedges rather than trees.

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