Annual, Biennial and Perennial Plants Quiz and Flashcards

What is the main factor that determines the length of the growing season?

What is the definition of a growing season?

What is the purpose of counting the days when the average temperature is higher than what is required for seed germination?

In tropical and equatorial regions, how long does the growing season usually last?

What is the term for the period of time between the last killing frost in the spring to the first killing frost in fall?

What has been the result of climate change on the length of the growing season in the United States?

What is the primary difference between annuals and perennials?

What is the purpose of seeds in annual plants?

What is a characteristic of half-hardy annual plants?

What is the benefit of using native perennials in a garden?

What determines how long ephemerals last?

What characteristic do half-hardy annuals have in common?

What type of plant is killed by frost and unable to survive the winter?

What is a characteristic of perennial plants?

What type of plant produces only leaves and roots during the first growing season and remains dormant until next year?

Seasons and Growing Seasons

Seasons in a year vary by temperature, weather, amount of daylight, and rainfall
Plants respond to these seasons in different ways
A growing season, or frost-free season, is a period when plants can grow, limited by climate, elevation, frost days, temperature, daylight hours, and rainfall

Types of Plants

Annual plants complete their life cycle in one growing season
Biennial plants require two growing seasons to complete their life cycle and die
Perennial plants live on for many years, flowering every year
Annuals produce seeds and die after a year or two, while perennials can come back year after year without dying

Growing Season Measurement

Measured in two ways: temperature and frost-free days
Length of the growing season has increased in some places due to climate change
Longer growing season can lead to invasive species and increased water needs

Annual, Biennial, and Perennial Plants

Annuals: complete life cycle in one growing season, die after producing seeds
Biennials: require two growing seasons, produce flowers and seeds in the second season, then die
Perennials: live on for many years, flowering every year

Types of Annuals

Hardy annuals: can tolerate some freezing weather and light frost
Half-hardy annuals: tolerate cold and damp weather as well as moderate frost
Tender annuals: cannot tolerate cool temperatures or frost
Ephemeral annuals: have a short lifespan, often found in deserts

Perennial Cycle

Perennial plants survive for multiple growing seasons
Short-lived perennials may live for a few years, while long-lived perennials may live for tens or hundreds of years
Perennials can survive extreme temperature or water changes through structures like roots, rhizoids, bulbs, or tubers

Learn about the different types of seasonal plants, including annual, biennial, and perennial plants, and their life cycles in relation to the growing seasons.