What ’s the difference between annuals and perennials ? That is a common question that new gardeners have , and it can be very confusing .
In this post , I ’ll clear up the disarray between annual vs perennials , and also give you the definition of a few other confusing terms you might see when shopping for plants .
Annuals vs Perennials
When I first started gardening , I could never remember the difference between perennial and yearly plants .
Then thing really got perplexing for me when I would listen other price hold around like “ biennial ” , “ hardy annuals ” , “ legal tender perennials” … ahhh , what does it all mean ! ? I did n’t bonk so I just chose to ignore all of those words .
Now that I am a seasoned nurseryman , I know the importance of understanding what all of those dissimilar terms intend .
Coneflowers are examples of perennial plants
empathize these terms has assist me become a more successful nurseryman . I want to help clear up the confusion for you too , so here sound …
What Is The Difference Between Annuals And Perennials?
The difference between annuals and perennial is that annuals only live for one year , and perennials know for many years .
BUT … just like everything with gardening ( or so it seems ) , it ’s a minute more complicated than that . annual vs perennials … it seems like it should be black and white , right ?
However , there are several other terms you may see when you ’re out shopping for plants that might confuse you , and can by all odds muddy up the waters . I ’m going to plunk into the item now , so hopefully I ’ll answer all of your question .
Let me start with the easiest one first …
What Does Perennial Mean?
perennial plants are the ones that live on through the winter , and farm back every twelvemonth in the garden . These are normally further define as works that survive more than two years in the garden .
Most recurrent flowers wo n’t bloom until they are mature or well established , which can take a year or so after they are planted . It usually takes recurrent more than one growing season to mature when grown from seminal fluid .
Examples of perennial plant : It depends on where you live , but here are a few examples of popular recurrent garden works where I exist … hostas , twenty-four hour period lilies , strobile flowers , sedums , peonies , ignominious - eyed Susan , bleeding core , liatris .
What Are Annual Plants?
yearly plant are the 1 that you have to replant every year , annuals do n’t come back every class .
True annual are plants that , in one develop season , begin from seed , promptly grow to adulthood , blossom continuously , jell seed and then go .
Most annuals grow in my myopic growing time of year here in zona 4 will be killed off by frost before they reach the end of their life - wheel .
Coneflowers are examples of perennial plants
An well-off way of life to commend this is that planting one-year flowers is something you have to do annually , like your taxes ( except WAY more fun ! ! ) .
This used to confuse me because I thought of it the diametrical way , annuals come back annually correct ? Nope , but the mental confusion is understandable ( and now I probably just confused you ! ) .
Sometimes annuals act as like perennials because they reseed themselves every year , so it can be a chip perplexing to keep them straight just by judge by what acquire back in your garden every summer .
one-year plant example : Here are a few model of true yearly flora ( and not just the ones they sell at the depot as yearbook ) … petunia , marigold , snapdragon , zinnia , moss rose , morning glory , sunflowers .
But hold back , there ’s more …
What Is A Biennial?
A biennial is a plant that only lives for two raise seasons and then dies . Characteristics for this type of plant are that during the first time of year , the works growth will be leafage only , no flowers .
florescence usually only come during the 2nd growing time of year , and then the plant will set seed and die .
Most biennial reseed themselves and grow unexampled works in the spring , so they appear to be perennial .
Biennials are usually find in the perennials section of most nurseries , but the tag should tell you that it ’s a biennial ( hopefully ) .
Examples of biennials : Here are a few examples of biennials set that you might be familiar with … foxglove , lupin , hollyhock , leave - me - not , dianthus .
What Does Hardy Perennial Mean?
Now , to really start blurring the telephone circuit … some type of perennials are more hardy than others , and this is set based on the plants hardiness zona .
Wait … what ’s a hardiness zone ? Hardiness zones are a basic guide to help categorize the hardiness of industrial plant so that gardeners will have intercourse which plants will turn well in their garden .
The USDA hardiness zones range from 1 through 11 , with 1 being the cold northern climates and 11 being the warm southerly mood ( lucky them ! ) .
Here in Minneapolis , we are in geographical zone 4 . Keep in mind that hardiness zones are abasicguide , so some plants that are list as only hardy down to geographical zone 5 may actually survive in zone 4 for example .
So , brave perennialsare refer to as plant that will survive in your growing geographical zone , even through the harsh of winter . For example , zone 6 perennial industrial plant are not hardy perennials here where I live in geographical zone 4 , they will be killed during the winter .
What Does Hardy Annual Mean?
Sometimes you will see plants that are categorize as a “ unfearing annual ” . These are annual that have a long aliveness span than most annual industrial plant .
They will survive a mild wintertime climate , and in colder climates they live coolheaded nippy weather , during which they will stay to rise and set ejaculate . But they are unfeigned annuals so they will finally reach the end of their lifetime - cycle per second and pop off .
What Are Tender Perennials?
As I mentioned above , the full term perennial is immanent to hardiness zone . Having said that , a tender perennial is a plant that is a reliable perennial ( survive longer than two years in the garden ) .
But the divergence is that it ’s not hardy in the zone where it ’s being sold , and will not hold up the wintertime if depart out of doors .
A mickle of the plant that are sold as annuals here in MN are actually lovesome perennials . Some of these plants could hold out in the house and make great houseplant over the wintertime ( bakshish : this is a great money saver ! ! ) .
You may also see stamp perennials referred to as “ tropicals ” , which means they are from the warmer tropical zones like 10 or 11 , or tropical climates even further to the south .
I ’m certain there are other terms out there that you ’ve find out and inquire what the heck they mean . There are so many different category ( some I retrieve are made up ) that it can be confusing .
Ok , pop quiz time …
Hopefully I cleared up the muddiness about annual vs perennial , and helped to define a couple of these other term for you without confusing you too much .
