not grow on trees

not grow on trees

1. (idiomatic) To be rare, not abundant, not easily acquired.
   • 1967, Willie Clarke, Johnny Pearsall (lyrics and music), “True Love Don’t Grow on Trees”, in Sings Sweet Soul!‎, performed by Helene Smith, Miami, USA: Deep City Records, LP 1001:

     But I think you should know
     Before you let love go
     That true love just don't grow
     On trees

   • 1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 32:

     ‘Cook-housekeeper jobs don’t grow on trees,’ went on the woman, ‘leastways not where you can keep a youngster with you.’

   • 2018 February 2, Tyler Orton, “‘Fuel-cell experts don’t grow on trees’: Ottawa pledges $670k to industry group”, in Business Vancouver:

     The reason why they’re so interested in what we have here is fuel-cell experts don’t grow on trees and it’s relatively high-level expertise you need.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:not grow on trees.