What is a characteristic of annual plants?

Annual plants are characterized by their ability to complete their entire life cycle within a single growing season. This lifecycle includes germination, flowering, seed production, and finally dying off, all occurring within a year. As a result, annual plants are particularly efficient at utilizing the short periods of favorable growing conditions, allowing them to reproduce quickly before the onset of adverse conditions.

This characteristic distinguishes them from perennial plants, which live for many years, and biennial plants, which typically flower in their second year. The idea that annual plants only flower once is a misunderstanding; while they do produce flowers to create seeds within one season, they can do this multiple times throughout that season. Also, annual plants are not limited to tropical climates; they can thrive in a variety of environments, further emphasizing their adaptability and lifecycle characteristics.