AnnualsDiscover the right annual plants for your garden.
Supertunia ® Royal Velvet ® petunia ( annual ) . picture by : Proven Winners .
All inflorescence plant follow the same canonical step in their life cycle . annual complete that cycle per second in one turn season , whereas perennials live on for three year or longer . But , if you begin studying the labels on your new plant or seed packet purchases , you ’ll discover many machine on this basic definition . You ’ll come across damage such as “ hardy " and “ half - hardy " annual , or tender perennial . Plus there ’s a third industrial plant category , biennial , that combines some of the characteristics of both industrial plant type .
What is clear when compare annual and perennial is that neither is superior to the other . Integrating both type into your garden designs ( along with shrubs and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ) afford you the best of both humanity and unlimited options in color , texture , form , and bloom time .
WHAT IS AN ANNUAL?
on-key annuals are flora that shoot , flower , set source , and fail all in one time of year . Their ultimate goal is to reproduce themselves ( set seed ) , which is good intelligence for gardeners because most annuals will flower like excited until their mission is accomplish . And , if you expend method acting such asdeadheadingto prevent seed formation , many annuals will amp up their blossom production and proceed to blossom copiously until the first hoarfrost arrives . Although you ’ll need to replant most yearbook the come spring to get a repetition performance , some will readily self - sow and deliver for an encore , such assweet alyssum , unmarried man ’s clit , and bury - me - nots .
Snow Princess ® Sweet Alyssum ( annual ) . Photo by : Proven Winners .
Types of Annuals
Why choose annuals?
Learn annuals .
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Dicentra ' Luxuriant ' fern - leaved bleeding heart . ( long - bloom perennial ) . photograph by AppletonOnfoot / Pixabay .
WHAT IS A PERENNIAL?
Unlike their abruptly - lived twin , perennial are typically cold - brave plants that will return again in the fountain . They usually blossom for only one time of year each yr ( either spring , summer , or descent ) , but there are also reblooming and long - bloom perennial , such as fern - leavedbleeding heart(Dicentra‘Luxuriant ’ ) .
When grow in friendly status , perennials often survive a longsighted clip , but do n’t assume they will last forever . Their life span is variable , and some may live for only three to five years . perennial also alter greatly in terms of their care and maintenance . Some may require to be snip and divided regularly to wield their vigor and keep them goodly , while others are tough and undemanding , seeming to flourish on neglectfulness .
Why choose perennials?
Biennials
Learn perennials .
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HOW THEY COMPARE
Spring or early fall . Seeds can be sow in in winter in some climates .
Any time from previous give to midsummer , as long as there is minuscule risk of frost .
natural spring or other nightfall is good . It is difficult for plants to become established during the heating system of the summer .
Typically one produce season , although they may self - sow and return for a 2d season .
One growing time of year .
Three or more year .
Cold - broad ; can treat a slight freeze .
illiberal of freezing temperatures .
Varies , but most plants can live on cold winters .
They thrive early and recent in the season , when temperatures are too cool for most tender annuals .
A great accession to containers or a garden full of perennials , adding most instant colour when perennial have stopped flower for the time of year .
Provide a sense of persistence from twelvemonth to year . Although they typically bloom for just a few weeks , their foliage and form contribute to the looker of the garden throughout the year .
Pegasus ® Begoniahybrid ( tender perennial ) . Photo by : Proven Winners .
PLANTS THAT BREAK THE RULES
Not all flowering plants fall neatly into the categories of yearly , perennial , or two-year . Here are a few that break the pattern .
Tulips : Although most bulb are deal to be perennials , tulipsare often an exclusion . Native to Central Asia , they require dusty winters and spicy , dry summers to return each yr . But in climates that do n’t extend these condition , they do n’t rebloom faithfully and are often plow as annuals .
Tender perennials : You may be surprised to get word that some of the most popular annuals may actually do as perennials in certain regions of the country . These tender perennials , sometimes call in “ temperennials , " are winter hardy in warm farm geographical zone but not in northern garden , where they are typically grow as annual or even houseplant . Many succulent and tropical plants match into this family , such asbegonias , Alternanthera , elephant ear , andagave .
“ If you get mightily down to it , the recording label given the plant is n’t authoritative . What is authoritative is how the works performs in your garden , " says Proven Winners ’ plantsman Kerry Meyer . “ For some of you , the plants we call yearbook might actually be repeated . To find out if the ‘ yearly ’ you are seem at is an yearbook for you , you need to equate the plant ’s hardiness zone to the zone in which you garden . "
- mark : check that you check plant labels before propagate , because propagation ( cutting , partitioning , or graft ) of trademarked plants is prohibited .
