Does mata mean plants besides plantas?

Question

I use matas to mean plants, I was taught matas instead of plantas, is this wrong?

Answer 1

Mata: (f)

bush, shrub; plant sprig; tuft clump thicket (fam) mane (colloq), mop (colloq)

Also, from our own dictionary,

mata [mah’-tah] noun 1. Small bush (arbusto), shrub, undershrub. (f) 2. Sprig (ramita), blade. (f) 3. Grove, a cluster of trees of one species, copse. (f) 4. The mastic-tree. (f) 5. Lock of matted hair. (f) 6. Piece of ore only partly fused. (f) 7. Field, plot. (Agriculture & gram) (f)

Mata de olivos -> field of olive trees

1. Mata de pelo, head of hair. (f)

   Mata rubia -> kermes oak

Answer 2

If you had told me "mata" instead of "planta", I had not understood.

I would not have understood, either. - Luzbonita, Jun 15, 2011

Answer 3

Cada uno tiene su manera de hacer las cosas.

There's more than one way to skin a cat.

Answer 4

1. Plant that lives for several years and has a short, branched, and woody stem.
2. A plant of little height or size. Tomato bush. Carnation bush.

Answer 5

I dont use plantas, I use matas, is this correct?

Mata means more shrub or bush and is fine to say if that is what you want to say. But if you want to say plant, I would use planta not mata. - eltennis97, Jun 14, 2011

Answer 6

You are fine.

Answer 7

what does this translate as? mata1. from Real Academia

(Quizá del lat. tardío matta, estera).

1. f. Planta que vive varios años y tiene tallo bajo, ramificado y leñoso.

2. f. Planta de poca alzada o tamaño. Mata de tomate. Mata de claveles.