A plant that completes its life cycle in one year is known as what?

A plant that completes its life cycle in one year is referred to as an annual. This means that it germinates from seed, grows, flowers, produces seeds, and then dies all within a single growing season, typically ranging from spring to frost. Annuals are often characterized by their rapid growth and the ability to bloom in a relatively short period, making them desirable for quick garden color and harvest.

In contrast, perennials are plants that live for more than two years, often going dormant in the winter and regrowing in the spring without having to replant. Biennials take two years to complete their life cycle, typically germinating in the first year and flowering and producing seeds in the second. Evergreens are not characterized by their life cycle duration but rather refer to plants that retain their leaves throughout the year, such as conifers. Thus, annual accurately captures the definition of one-year life cycle completion.