Annuals or Perennials Explained

What type of plants or flowers do you have. Depending on what part of the country you live in some perennials are annuals and vice versa.

I'll explain the difference between Annuals and Perennials below.

Annuals means usually only one growing season, completing its life cycle in one growing season. They could be seeds, flowering, or fruiting plants during that period. Most vegetables, are considered annuals. Wild flowers and weeds can also be annuals. The duration of a cycle is varied, it may be a few weeks to several months, depending on the species. Annual flowers and plants are used for that showy one time use in landscaping. They will have to be replaced the following season or cycle season.

Biennials these plants complete their life cycle in two growing seasons. The first season it produces only the basal leaves, grows its stem, produces flowers and fruits, then dies in the second season. The plant usually requires some special environmental condition or treatment such as exposure to a cold temperature to be induced to reproductive phase. Although annuals and biennials rarely become woody in regions where seasons rarely change, these plants may sometimes produce secondary growth in their stems and roots.

Perennials they are herbaceous plants that grow year round and through the adverse weather conditions. They will live through the summer, fall and winter seasons. They will also flower and fruit a variable number of years of vegetative growth past their second year. Many perennials survive the harsh cold season as dormant underground roots, rhizomes, bulbs, and tubers. Examples are ornamental trees, all varieties of bermuda grass, numerous landscaping shrubs, daylilies, and some bulbs.

Herbaceous Perennials are those with bascially, succulent stems. In climates that rarely change the tops die after a season of vegetative growth, sometimes dying down
In tropical or subtropical climates the tops of herbaceous perennials may die down, due to natural causes leading to a period of rest following flowering and seeding, or they may remain alive for long periods. Many bulb plants are considered herbaceous perennials.

Woody Perennials these are plants that become woody and soft. They are usually vines, groundcovers and some species of Roses. Some plants, however, growing as woody perennials in their growing habitat, take on the characteristics of herbaceous perennials when grown where their tops freeze to the ground in the winter but where the temperature is not enough to destroy their roots.

House plants these plants are adapted for indoor use. They are grown in containers, usually slow growing, and may be flowering or foliage plants. Here is a small list: Sansevieria, Rubber plants , Philodendrons, Aloe Vera plant, Pothos, and many more. You can make many annuals perennials by adapting them for indoor use. Example of houseplants here: Houseplants

Bedding plants are considered annuals they are used for planting outdoors in flower beds. They are either seedlings or started from seeds. They can be transplanted later in the growing season. Here are some good bedding plant examples: Chili, Petunia, Zinnias, Pansy, and Marigolds. Sometimes Geraniums will get through the winter season in the southwest.
More bedding plants here: Bedding Plants

Thanks from Paul Guzman