Annual vs. Perennial
What’s the Difference Between and Annual and a Perennial?
Whether a plant is called an annual, perennial (or something in between) is based mostly on it’s lifecycle, and here in Ontario, it’s ability to live through the cold winters. In this article, we’re just going to discuss the basics of an Annual vs Perennial.
First up, you will need to know a little bit of background about plants and weather!
Plant Lifecycles
The goal of most living things in nature is to reproduce. Lots of plants will reproduce via flowering and producing seeds. An average plant will germinate, flower, set seed, and die. Annuals usually complete all of this within one year, whereas perennials can take 3 years or more to reach the end of their life.
Plant Hardiness Zones
Living somewhere that gets to experience seasons also plays a role in whether a plant will survive longer than one year. Some plants won’t survive in our local gardens because it gets too cold. Plant Hardiness Zones are numbers that are assigned to geographic areas based on the average low temperature a specific region gets in winter months. These Zones are given a number, and as numbers get higher, it’s reflective of a higher average temperature. If you’d like to read more about these zones, we have a full garden guide here for you!) For example, here in London Ontario, we’re considered to be in plant hardiness zone 6, but in Florida, they’re a zone 9 or 10.
Most plant tags will have the plant hardiness zone listed as a singular number, or as a range. If plant has a singular number, that is the coldest zone a plant will usually survive in, if the zone is listed as a range, that will be the coldest and warmest zones listed.
What is an Annual?
Annuals are plants that usually bloom like crazy, trying to make sure that they will be successful in reproducing during their shorter 1 year life. It’s all about the seeds baby! These plants will sometimes self seed and will return the next year, if the seeds can survive throughout the winter.
Plants that have a short life cycle or only grow in a plant hardiness zone outside of where you live would be grown as annuals in your outdoor gardens.
Examples of annuals in Ontario are geraniums, sunflowers, petunias, and tropical hibiscus. People purchase these for lovely blooms throughout the planting season, with an understanding that they will likely repurchase new annuals for next year or they will try to overwinter them indoors.
What is a Perennial?
Perennials are cold-hardy plants that will come back year after year, providing they are able to survive our winters (here at Heeman’s, we consider any plant with a plant hardiness zone 5 or lower to be a perennial). They usually bloom during a specific seasonal time frame (spring, summer or fall), and not all season long. Although perennials typically cost more upfront, they are a good long-term investment for your garden because they return. Some perennials thrive on neglect, while others will require some maintenance such as dividing them, or pruning.
Examples of plants that can be perennials in Ontario are coneflowers (echinacia), rose bushes, hydrangeas, day lilies, irises, and hostas.
Are Annuals or Perennials Better?
A well designed garden will usually take advantage of the benefits of both annuals and perennials in the same space, but for different reasons!
How to Use Annuals:
Annuals are usually ‘cheap and cheerful’ and will provide reliable ongoing and consistent colour from spring through to fall in your flower beds and gardens. They make it easy to experiment with different colours or accent colours in your gardens without having to commit to the same colours for years! They add a pop of seasonal interest to your planters or hanging baskets that can reflect holidays or seasons.
How to use Perennials:
Perennials can provide you with 4 seasons of interest in your gardens, and although their blooms may not last long, their leaves and larger sizes can anchor any garden design. If you choose native perennial plants, they can provide an ecological benefit as well by being a source of food, shelter and nesting materials to butterflies, bees and birds.
