Crossword Genius

Notes a bunch of spies in shrub (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

acacia

'shrub' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'notes a bunch of spies in' is the wordplay.
'notes' becomes 'ac' ().
'bunch of spies' becomes 'CIA' (Central Intelligence Agency).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'a'+'cia'='acia'
'ac' placed within 'acia' is 'ACACIA'.

(Other definitions for acacia that I've seen before include "Thorny tree, wattle" , "Flowering tree or shrub" , "(Sub)tropical shrub with yellow or white flowers - wattle" , "ornamental tree" , "Locust tree the false one" .)

I've seen this clue in The Mirror.
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