Life Cycle of Plant

A plant's life cycle describes how long a plant lives or how long it takes to grow, flower, and set seed.

Plants begin their life as a seed. With water, right temperature and right location, the seed germinates. It becomes a seedling. Roots push down into the ground to get water and minerals. The stem reaches for the sun, and leaves begin to unfold. A bud appears. The plants then produce flowers. The flowers are then pollinated in many ways – by bees, moths, butterflies, insects, moths, bats, butterflies and even by the wind. The pollinated flower turns into fruit. The new seeds are inside the fruit. The ripe fruit drops to the ground and the cycle begins again.

Plants can be either an annual, perennial, or biennial.

Annual

A plant that completes its life cycle in one growing season. It will grow, flower, set seed, and die.

Examples: marigolds, tomatoes, and petunias.

Perennial

A plant that lives for 3 or more years. It can grow, flower, and set seed for many years. Underground parts may regrow new stems as in the case of herbaceous plants, or the stems may live for many years like woody plants (trees).

Examples: daisies, chrysanthemums, and roses.

Biennial

A plant that needs two growing seasons to complete its life cycle. It grows vegetatively (produces leaves) one season, goes dormant or rests over the winter, and then grows flowers, sets seed, and dies the second season.

Examples: parsley, carrots, and foxglove.