Plants that don’t come back are known as annuals. These are plants that complete their lifecycle within one growing season. Unlike perennials, which can live for multiple years and come back year after year, annuals have a relatively short lifespan.
One of the defining characteristics of annuals is that they flower and then die off within a single year. This means that they don’t have the ability to regenerate from the same plant in the following seasons. However, some annuals have a clever survival strategy to ensure their future generations.
Many annuals produce seeds before they die. These seeds are designed to be dispersed, either by wind, water, or animals. Once the seeds find a suitable environment, they can germinate and grow into new plants. This is nature’s way of ensuring that annuals can continue their life cycle, even though the individual plant may not come back.
As a gardener or landscaper, you can collect the seeds from your annual plants and sow them in the following spring. This allows you to have a fresh batch of annuals each year without having to purchase new plants. Alternatively, you can let the seeds disperse naturally in your garden, and they may sprout on their own in the following season.
It’s important to note that not all annuals produce viable seeds. Some hybrids or cultivars may have been bred to produce sterile flowers, which means they won’t set seed. In such cases, you will need to purchase new plants each year if you want to continue growing them.
Annuals come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, making them popular choices for adding seasonal interest and color to gardens and landscapes. Some common examples of annuals include marigolds, petunias, zinnias, and impatiens. These plants provide a burst of color and beauty during their short lifespan, but they won’t come back the following year.
In my own experience as a gardener, I have enjoyed growing annuals for their vibrant blooms and ability to quickly fill in empty spaces in my garden. Each spring, I look forward to selecting new varieties and sowing their seeds or purchasing young plants from nurseries. While it can be a bit sad to see them go at the end of the season, I know that their seeds will ensure their presence in my garden in the future.
Annuals are plants that don’t come back year after year. They complete their lifecycle within a single growing season, flowering and then dying off. However, many annuals produce seeds that can be collected and sown to grow new plants in the following year. This allows for the continuation of their life cycle and the enjoyment of their beauty season after season.
