Flowers that come back up from their roots every year in the springtime are called “perennial” flowers. Some of the best perennial flowers to grow in a garden are peonies, daylilies, coneflowers, and hollyhocks. The specific types of flowers that return each spring depends on your region.
The short answer is that annuals don't come back. Plants that flower and die in one season are annuals—although many will drop seeds that you can collect (or leave) to grow new plants in the spring.
Unlike annuals, perennial plants go dormant in the winter and return the following year. Some perennial plants, like peonies, can be long-lived, returning for decades. Different perennial plants bloom at other times of the year, so you might get flowers in the spring, summer, fall, or even winter.
Read about plant classification here. Annual plants complete their life cycle in one growing season. Biennial plants are planted in one year, grow through the year, grow on and flower during the next year. Perennial plants grow strong year after year.
Examples of biennial plants are members of the onion family including leek, some members of the cabbage family, common mullein, parsley, fennel, Lunaria, silverbeet, black-eyed Susan, sweet William, colic weed, carrot, and some hollyhocks.
Biennial plants have a two-year life cycle. During the first year, they grow only the roots, stems and leaves. In the second year they come into flower, produce seeds and die.
About Zinnias
Zinnias are annuals, so they'll grow for one season to produce flowers and seeds, but the original plant will not come back in subsequent years. They have bright, solitary, daisy-like flowerheads on a single, erect stem, which makes them great for use as a cutting flower or as food for butterflies.
Brightly-colored flowers that are tubular tend to produce the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These include perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks; and many annuals, including cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.
If there's an easier flower to grow, we'd like to know about it. Zinnias are annuals, meaning that they go from seed to flower to seed quickly.
But no, the agave americana is definitely from Earth. It's also known as a century plant because it only blooms once every 100 years (roughly) and then dies.
In the Arid Greenhouse at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Agave ocahui is known as the century plant because people used to think it flowered only once every 100 years. A more accurate estimate is that it blooms once after 25 to 30 years of growth.
A hummingbird encounter, especially when it flies ahead of or next to you, is almost always considered a positive encounter, usually a symbol that you will be blessed in the future or that good luck is coming your way.
Hummingbirds are primarily attracted to long tubular flowers that are red, but are frequently seen visiting other flowers with bright colors that are orange, yellow, purple, or even blue, giving you plenty to choose from. Keep in mind that many double-flowered forms aren't accessible to pollinators.
Even the planting process is easy. I put down fresh mulch, then sprinkle the Zinnia seeds where I want them. I don't worry about spacing or anything, I just scatter them. When the seeds are down, I sprinkle just a little more mulch over the area for cover.
Yes, black eyed susans do come back every year. As we mentioned above, some varieties of black eyed susan are perennial. However, the annual varieties may reappear every year too if you don't deadhead them.
True geraniums are hardy perennials that return to the garden each year with a flush of handsome leaves. In spring and early summer, they can be covered with flowers that are pale pink, blue, purple, violet, rose, magenta or pure white.
The biennials that are grown for seeds, fruits and flowers are grown for two years, whereas those for edible roots and leaves are grown for one year only. Examples of biennials include: parsley, fennel, onion, cabbage, silverbeet and carrot.
Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Affectionally called the "perfect perennial," Daylilies survive through almost anything — fluctuating temperatures, irregular watering and so on. They come in a variety of colors and sizes, so you can find the right option to suit your garden or landscaping.
Is Hydrangea a perennial? Yes, Hydrangeas are perennials: they go dormant in winter and come back in the spring on their own, assuming you've planted varieties suited for your Zone. Gardeners in northern Zones must take care to choose winter-hardy varieties.
Biennial plants grow leaves, stems and roots the first year, then go dormant for the winter. In the second year the plant will flower and produce seeds before dying. Biennials are usually sold with perennials and include sweet william, foxglove, money plant and hollyhock.
Lavender is a perennial that will last for several years under the right conditions. Because of its Mediterranean origin, lavender loves blazing hot sun and dry soil. If your lavender doesn't thrive, it's most likely due to overwatering, too much shade, and high humidity levels.
Biennial plants have a life cycle of two years, so they germinate and grow one year, bloom and die the following. Everything which lasts longer than two years is perennial, which in practical terms usually means it grows and flowers for many years.