Anuals

Anuals, often referred to as annuals, are flowering plants that complete their entire life cycle within a single growing season. This means they germinate from seed, grow, flower, produce seeds, and then die, all within one year. This life cycle is a defining characteristic, distinguishing them from perennials which live for multiple years, and biennials which complete their life cycle over two years.

Annual plants are popular in gardening for their vibrant and continuous blooms, often lasting from spring until the first frost. Their short lifespan allows gardeners to easily change their garden's appearance each year by selecting different varieties. They are ideal for adding temporary splashes of color to flower beds, containers, and borders. Some common examples include petunias, marigolds, zinnias, and impatiens.

Because they must reproduce within a single season, annuals typically invest a significant amount of energy into producing abundant flowers and seeds. This makes them attractive to pollinators like bees and butterflies. In many climates, true annuals are naturally occurring plants that can only survive one growing season due to cold winters. However, in warmer regions or when grown in protected environments like greenhouses, some plants that are technically perennial may behave as annuals if they are not hardy enough to survive local winter conditions. Gardeners often replant annuals each year, either by purchasing new plants or by collecting seeds from the previous season's plants for propagation.