Perennial facts for kids

A beautiful perennial garden, showing plants that return year after year.

Common chicory is a herbaceous perennial plant. This means its soft stems die back in winter, but its roots survive to grow again.

Dahlia plants are perennials, known for their colorful flowers.

Switchgrass is a deep-rooted perennial. These roots can grow more than 3 meters long, helping the plant find water and nutrients.

A perennial is a type of plant that lives for more than two years. Unlike annual plants, which complete their whole life cycle in just one year and then die, perennials keep growing back. They produce leaves and often flowers and fruit every single year.

Some plants are called biennials because they live for two years. Perennials are different because they can live for many, many years. Most trees and shrubs are good examples of perennial plants.

Different Kinds of Perennials

Perennial plants come in many forms, each with unique features. Here are some main types:

• Evergreen perennials keep their leaves all year round, even in winter. Examples include Begonia and banana plants.
• Deciduous perennials lose their leaves during certain seasons, usually in autumn or winter. They grow new leaves in the spring. Examples are goldenrod and mint.
• Woody perennials have hard, woody stems and branches. Most maple, pine, and apple trees are woody perennials.
• Herbaceous perennials have soft, green stems that often die back to the ground in winter. However, their roots survive underground and grow new stems in the spring. Alfalfa and Red clover are examples used in farming.

Perennial Plants We Eat

Many of the fruits, herbs, and vegetables we enjoy come from perennial plants. This means farmers don't have to replant them every year!

Perennial Fruits

Many delicious fruits grow on perennial plants. Here are some popular ones:

• Apple
• Apricot
• Avocado
• Banana
• Blueberry
• Grape
• Kiwi fruit
• Pear
• Pineapple
• Plum
• Raspberries
• Strawberry

Perennial Herbs

Herbs add flavor to our food and have been used for centuries. Many common herbs are perennials:

• Basil (some types)
• Chives
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Lavender
• Mint
• Onions (some types like shallots)
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme

Perennial Vegetables

While many vegetables are annuals, some can grow back year after year, especially in warmer climates.

• Asparagus
• Broccoli (some types)
• Chives
• Globe artichoke
• Jerusalem artichoke
• Leek
• Potato (can be perennial in some conditions)
• Rhubarb
• Sorrel
• Sweet potato
• Taro
• Watercress

See also

In Spanish: Planta perenne para niños