Anuais

Anuais, in botany and horticulture, refers to plants that complete their life cycle in a single growing season. They germinate, grow, flower, produce seeds, and die within one year or within a single growing cycle, depending on environmental conditions. This contrasts with biennials, which take two years to complete their life cycle, and perennials, which live for multiple years. In temperate regions, many crops and a wide range of ornamental plants are annuals, including cereals such as wheat and corn, vegetables like lettuce and beans, and flowering types such as marigolds and petunias.

The annual life cycle emphasizes rapid growth and reproduction. Cool-season annuals thrive in cooler temperatures, while warm-season annuals require heat to grow and flower. Because they rely on seeds for persistence, many annuals produce a large number of seeds and may reseed themselves under favorable conditions, especially in mild climates.

In horticulture, annuals are valued for their ability to provide predictable, season-long color and texture in gardens and landscapes. They are commonly planted as bedding plants, containers, and borders. Some annuals are edible or aromatic, contributing to culinary or culinary-garden uses as well as ornamental appeal.

Etymology and usage: the term derives from Latin annus, year. In Portuguese, the adjective and noun form is anual, with the plural anuais used for annual plants or annual crops in horticultural contexts. See also biennial and perennial.