Perennial vs Annual Flower: What Are the Differences?
Perennial/Annual Flower: Fall is upon us, and it might seem like gardening season is over for a few months. However, for many people, it’s just getting started.
Did you know that fall is the perfect time to prepare your flower garden for the winter? You can expect bountiful blooms come spring by taking good care of your soil and flowers during the fall months.
One significant dilemma often comes up when planting and caring for a flower garden. Gardeners everywhere ask themselves, perennial vs. annual flower?
Do you need clarification about the differences between annual and perennial flowers? Keep reading as we dig deep to find out more.
Perennial vs. Annual Flower: What’s the Difference?
One easy way to differentiate between perennial and annual flowers is in their names.
An annual flower has a growing season that starts and ends over the course of one year. This type of flower goes from a seedling in the spring to full bloom during summer and dies when fall brings colder weather.
A perennial flower lives throughout the year. In the spring, the plant will grow new leaves and buds. The plant produces blooms during the summer and then goes dormant during the winter.
With proper care, a perennial flower repeats this cycle every year.
Choosing between annual and perennial flowers has much to do with your geographical location, garden space and your personal preference. There are no wrong answers when it comes to beautiful flowers.
Annual Flower Guide
Many gardeners prefer annual flowers because they’re typically low maintenance. Seeds can be started indoors during the late winter and are ready for outdoor planting in early spring. They tend to grow quickly, have a fast and robust blooming season, and then they go to seed and die when the weather turns cold.
Annual flowers are perfect for apartment dwellers, as they grow easily in pots on balconies, small patios or in sunny windows. They’re easy to care for and produce beautiful cut flowers that look perfect in vases.
In fact, cutting annual flowers at the peak of their blooms is recommended because it encourages the plant to produce more flowers.
Popular Types of Annual Flowers
Use this handy guide to check your growing region. Once you know which flowers grow well in your area, it’s time to choose the ones you’d like to plant. These are some of the most popular annual flowers.
Zinnias
Zinnias are an old-fashioned annual flower that boasts bright colours and abundant petals and yields numerous blooms during its growing season. Zinnias come in several varieties to suit your taste and your gardening space.
Dwarf zinnias rarely exceed 12 inches in height and are perfect for smaller garden plots. Other varieties reach four feet in height, and their long stems make them ideal for flower bouquets.
Snapdragons
Not only do these flowers have a great name, but they’re also stunning in your garden. Snapdragon varieties also come in various heights, with the shortest reaching only 14 inches and the tallest clocking in at 4 feet.
Snapdragons have conical bloom clusters in bold shades of pink, purple, red, orange and white. Snapdragons are perfect for bouquets, which make lovely gifts and look beautiful in your home.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are bright and cheery and add visual impact to big and small spaces. They’re hardy and easy to care for, and you can harvest the seeds at the end of the season.
Some sunflowers can reach heights of 15 feet and produce blooms that measure 12 inches across. If you don’t have that kind of space, dwarf sunflower varieties provide the same sunny blooms on a much smaller scale.
Perennial Flower Guide
A perennial flower often needs more specialized care than annual flowers, but don’t let that deter you. Much of their care is seasonal and takes minimal effort, but the rewards are huge.
Perennial flowers are best for people who have ample garden space and plan to be in one place long enough to enjoy them. Some perennial flowers take time to mature and bloom, so they’re not always ideal for the casual gardener.
Popular Types of Perennial Flowers
Many perennial flowers are big and bold. These stunning blossoms make them easily recognizable to those new to gardening.
Roses
Roses are undoubtedly one of the most popular flowers in the world. Their shape and scent are iconic, and rose bushes can live for many years. One rose bush in Hildesheim, Germany, has been growing and blooming for over 1,000 years.
Roses thrive in temperate climates and love well-drained soil with a neutral Ph balance. Grandiflora, hybrid tea, shrub and climbing roses are some of the most popular. Among these types of roses, you’ll find countless varieties in every colour but black and blue.
Orchids
Orchids are stunning, exotic flowers that have existed for more than 100 million years. To date, more than 28,000 species of orchid have been catalogued by scientists. Orchids grow worldwide, but most orchid species prefer warm and humid climates.
Orchids are often misinterpreted as annual flowers when their blooms die, giving the impression that the entire plant is dead. In fact, orchids are perennials and will rebloom for decades with the proper care.
Orchid flowers can be cut and used in bouquets, but orchids are best given as gifts.
Tulips
Tulips are gorgeously bold flowers most commonly associated with springtime in the Netherlands. However, tulips are native to Central Asia, and because of their beauty, they’re now popular across the globe.
Tulips are also mysterious. In their native form, tulips are perennials. Due to hybridization, many tulip varieties available today are annuals. Regardless, you can choose specifically perennial tulip bulbs, or you can plant new tulip bulbs every fall for beautiful spring blooms.
Do You Prefer Perennial or Annual Flowers?
Growing flowers is an extraordinary way to add beauty to your life and the lives of others. Perennial vs. annual flower is the decision you’re faced with now. Which decision will you make?
Did you enjoy learning more about flowers? Check out some of our other blog posts for more lifestyle tips!
