The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 letter word SHRUBS
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More clues leading to the result SHRUBS
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "plants" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case plants = shrubs.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SHRUBS mean?
SHRUBS noun- A woody plant smaller than a tree, and usually with several stems from the same base.
- A liquor composed of vegetable acid, fruit juice (especially lemon), sugar, sometimes vinegar, and a small amount of spirit as a preservative. Modern shrub is usually non-alcoholic, but in earlier times it was often mixed with a substantial amount of spirit such as brandy or rum, thus making it a liqueur.