Plan almost allowed growth of many branches (5)
I believe the answer is:
maple
'growth of many branches' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't see how one could define the other.
'plan almost allowed' is the wordplay.
'plan' becomes 'map' (I've seen this before).
'almost' means to remove the last letter (most of the word but not all of it).
'allowed' becomes 'let' (I've seen this before).
'let' with its final letter taken off is 'le'.
'map'+'le'='MAPLE'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for maple that I've seen before include "----- leaf: symbol of Canada" , "Tree: its leaf the Canadian emblem" , "Tree of the sycamore family" , "Tree yielding syrup" , "plant" .)