I’ve had some questions asked about the advantages and disadvantage of planting annual vs perennial flowers. Let me first define the differences between these two types of flowers since there are more and more newbies joining us in the art of flower landscaping who may need me to begin at the beginning.
Annuals go from seed to flower in a single growing season with their roots, stems and leaves dying annually. A good example of this is the zinnia.
Perennials are flowers that go on for many growing seasons where the top part of the flower/plant dies each winter season but grows back the following spring from the same set of roots. A good example of this is the purple coneflower.
I also want to mention a third type of flower classification, the biennial. This one is really a form or subset of the perennial. These flowers need two years to complete their growing cycle. The first season consists of the flower growing a few leaves just above the soil’s surface. The second growing season finds it flowering, but by that season’s end the flower will die. Foxgloves are an example of this kind of flower.
Watch for my next post that talks about the advantages and disadvantages of growing the annual vs the perennial.