Texas FFA Nursery Landscape Practice Exam

What characteristic defines a perennial plant?

1. Lives for two growing seasons

2. Dies in winter and regrows in spring

3. Grows back every year

4. Requires annual planting

The correct answer is: Grows back every year

A perennial plant is defined by its ability to grow back year after year, which makes the characteristic of "grows back every year" the correct defining trait. Perennials typically have a root system that survives through the winter, allowing them to regrow in the spring without needing to be replanted. This ability distinguishes them from annuals, which complete their life cycle in one growing season, and biennials, which live for two growing seasons. The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of perennial plants. Perennials do not die in winter and regrow in spring as a defining characteristic; that is more typical of certain other types of plants. Furthermore, they do not require annual planting since they return on their own each season. Therefore, the defining characteristic of perennials is their longevity and the fact that they can provide beauty and utility in gardens and landscapes year after year without the need for replanting.