An annual plant is a plant that completes its entire life cycle-from germination, growth, flowering, seed production, to death-within a single growing season or year

. After producing seeds, the plant dies and does not regrow from the same root system; new plants must grow from the seeds in the next season

. Key points about annual plants include:

• They germinate, flower, set seed, and die all within one season

• The growing season can vary; some annuals are summer annuals (germinate in spring/early summer and die in autumn), while others are winter annuals (germinate in autumn and die in spring)

• Many annuals self-seed, so they may reappear the following year if conditions allow, but they generally need to be replanted

• Annual plants typically grow faster and allocate more resources to seed production compared to perennials, which contributes to their prominence in agriculture and gardening

• Examples of annual plants include many garden flowers (marigolds, zinnias), vegetables (tomatoes, lettuce), and cereal grains (corn, wheat)

In summary, an annual plant is defined by its one-year life span, completing its life cycle within a single season before dying, relying on seed production for the next generation