The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word TENDU
T
E
N
D
U
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "tree" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case tree = tendu.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 TENDU mean?
TENDU noun- A move in which the leg and foot stretch to point in a particular direction, but the foot does not leave the floor