What’s Your Classification?

Horticulture Science 03B

Plant Life CyclesGrowth Forms

Size Classification

The Big Picture1. Define plant life cycle.2. Compare annual, biennial and

perennial life cycles3. Compare woody and herbaceous

plants.4. Define types of growth habit

classifications

LIFE CYCLE - is the amount of time it takes for the plant to go from a germinating seed until the resulting plant produces another seed. *Seed to seed*

ANNUAL - plant completes a life

cycle in one growing season.

Grows during vegetative stage

Produces flowers

Produces seeds

Dies

ALL IN ONE GROWING SEASON

Examples: petunias, lettuce, pansy, marigold, snap beans

Some annuals are known as summer annuals. They mature and produce seed in the warmer months of the year. Others are know as winter annuals. They thrive in cooler weather producing seeds the next spring.

BIENNIAL - plants that complete their life cycle in two years or growing seasons

1st year – seed to vegetative growth then go dormant

2nd year – continue to grow, flower and produce seed

Die

Examples: carrots, cabbage, beets, onion, hollyhock

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Two_colors_of_onions.jpg

PERENNIAL - life cycle lasts longer than 2 years.

Herbaceous perennials have shoots that may die back to the ground in the fall. Roots survive the winter and the plant returns in the spring. It has no woody tissue.

Woody perennials don’t die back but continue growing each year. They have woody tissue.

Example: trees, shrubs and grasses

Trees and shrubs that lose all their leaves in the fall are deciduous.

Trees and shrubs that retain their leaves with some shedding periodically are evergreen.

Growth Habit Classification

Vine - a climbing or trailing herbaceous or woody plant

Trees - having a single central trunk with a mature height over 12 feet

Shrub - having several trunks with mature height of less than 12 feet