What is the difference between annuals and perennials?
Annuals
Annuals germinate, flower, set seed, and die within one year. They often bloom continuously all season, making them popular for colorful beds and containers. Examples include marigolds, petunias, and zinnias. They must be replanted each year.
Some tender perennials are grown as annuals in cold climates, like geraniums and begonias, because they die in frost.
Perennials
Perennials live for multiple years, typically dying back to the ground in winter and regrowing from roots in spring. They may bloom for a shorter period than annuals but return reliably. Examples include daylilies, peonies, and hostas.
Some perennials are short-lived (3–5 years) and benefit from division. Others, like peonies, can live for decades. Biennials are a middle ground: they grow leaves the first year, bloom and die the second.
- Annuals: replant every year, long bloom season.
- Perennials: return each year, often shorter bloom time.
- Biennials: two-year life cycle (e.g., foxglove, hollyhock).
- Tender perennials: perennial in warm climates, annual in cold.
- Choose a mix for continuous color and lower maintenance.
Common mistakes
- Expecting all perennials to bloom all season; most have a specific bloom window.
- Planting annuals in fall in cold climates and losing them to frost.
- Assuming a plant labeled 'perennial' will survive in any climate; hardiness varies.