Mehrjährig

Mehrjährig is a German adjective meaning perennial. It is primarily used in botany and horticulture to describe plants that live for more than two years. This contrasts with annual plants, which complete their life cycle in one year, and biennial plants, which live for two years.

Perennial plants typically survive winter and resume growth in the spring. Their ability to survive for multiple years is often due to specialized structures such as bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, or woody stems. These structures allow the plant to store energy and nutrients, enabling it to regrow after dormancy or damage.

Examples of common perennial plants include many flowering plants like roses, peonies, and hostas, as well as trees, shrubs, and grasses. The classification of a plant as perennial is significant for gardening and agriculture, as it dictates planting, care, and harvesting practices. For instance, perennial vegetables like asparagus and rhubarb are planted once and provide harvests for many years.

In a broader context, the term "mehrjährig" can also be applied to other phenomena or processes that extend over multiple years, though its botanical meaning is the most common. This could include long-term contracts or multi-year projects, but these uses are less frequent and often accompanied by further clarification.