annuels

Annuel, plural annuels, is a term used in botany and horticulture to describe plants that complete their life cycle within a single growing season. In gardening, annuals are valued for rapid growth, prolific flowering, and the ability to transform landscapes in a single year. The same species can be perennial in its native or warmer range, but when grown in temperate climates it behaves as an annual because it dies with the onset of winter.

Life cycle and characteristics: Annuals germinate, grow, flower, set seed, and die within one year or one growing season. They typically produce flowers and seeds quickly, allowing gardeners to achieve seasonal color and continuous bloom by replacing plants each year. Some annuals are frost-tender and require warm soil, while others are cool-season types that thrive in spring or fall. Many annuals readily reseed, contributing to volunteer displays in the following year.

Relation to other plant life cycles: Annuals are distinguished from biennials, which take two years to complete their life cycle, and perennials, which live for multiple years and may regrow after dormancy. In temperate regions, annuals are commonly treated as seasonal bedding plants, whereas perennials provide longer-term structure in a garden.

Cultivation and uses: Annuals are often grown from seed and planted directly outdoors or started indoors and transplanted. They favor well-drained soil and adequate sunlight, with watering and sometimes fertilization to promote vigorous flowering. They are widely used in flower beds, containers, and borders to create color, texture, and quick impact. Some popular annuals include marigolds, zinnias, petunias, cosmos, sunflowers, pansies, and impatiens.