Information on Different Kinds of Annual Plants

Identification

• An annual is a plant that concludes its lifecycle in one growing season. It emerges in the spring, flowers, seeds, and then dies at the fall frost. Some plants are annuals in colder climates and perennials in frost-free climates. Others, such as geraniums, impatiens and lantana, seem like perennials because their seeds survive winter and grow in the spring, like snapdragons, cosmos and petunias.

Function

• Annuals add immediate color to a garden, are inexpensive and easy to grow. They are a good choice for instant blooms that last throughout the growing season. Disadvantages include the need to be replanted every year, the need for deadheading to spur consistent blooms and the need for removal at the end of the season, particularly if you want to avoid reseeding.

Types

• Annuals are hardy, half-hardy or tender, depending on their tolerance to frost and cold temperatures. Hardy annuals survive light frost; they include pansies, cornflowers and larkspur. Half-hardy annuals, such as baby's breath and blue sage, endure cold but not frost. They deteriorate in midsummer, and then rebloom in cooler temperatures. Tender annuals, like begonia, marigold, petunia and zinnia, do not tolerate cold below 55 degrees.