Annual plant
An annual plant completes its life cycle—from germination through flowering and seed production—within one growing season, then dies.
Seed germination: The resumption of growth in a viable seed, producing a seedling under suitable conditions. It begins the life cycle that annuals must finish in one growing season.
Biennial plant: A plant that typically completes its life cycle over two growing seasons. Biennials usually spend their first season growing and flower in the second.
Annual crop: A crop plant grown from seed and harvested within one growing season. Many cultivated annuals are selected for reliable, concentrated harvests.
Life cycle: The sequence of developmental stages an organism passes through from one generation to the next. An annual is defined by completing this sequence within one growing season.
Vegetative plant: A plant in the growth phase before flowering, producing roots, stems, and leaves. Annuals build the structures needed for rapid flowering during this phase.
Perennial plant: A plant that lives for more than two years, often reproducing in multiple seasons. Perennials survive beyond one growing season instead of dying after seed production.
Winter annual: An annual plant that germinates in autumn, survives winter as a seedling, and flowers in spring or summer. This life-history subtype uses winter for establishment before rapid spring growth.
Growing season: The part of the year when local conditions permit plant growth. Its length sets the time available for annual growth and reproduction.
Flowering: The development and opening of flowers, which enable sexual reproduction in flowering plants. Annuals must flower soon enough to produce mature seeds before the season ends.
Monocarpic plant: A plant that flowers and produces seeds once before dying, whether after one year or many years. Monocarpy describes a single reproductive episode, not necessarily an annual life span.