Part 3: Plant Classification

Classifying Plants

Plants may be classified or grouped by growth habit, life span, or type of plant such as grass, sedge, forb, or shrub. Here is some helpful terminology to get us started.

Annual plants live only one year or one growing season. They sprout at the beginning of their growing season from seeds and must complete their entire life cycle from germinating seed to producing their own seed in one year or one growing season. They usually have a small root system compared to the aboveground vegetative plant material (the stems, leaves, and reproductive structures). 

Biennial plants complete their life cycle from germinating seed to producing their own seed in two growing seasons. Vegetative growth is exhibited during the first year. The plant over winters and produces flowers and seeds from food stored in the vegetative material during the first year, and then dies. (photo courtesy Betsy Lewis)

Perennial plants live from several to many years – there are trees living today that have been alive for thousands of years! Most perennials do not live nearly as long. Perennials produce leaves and stems for more than two years from the same crown or stem base. Many perennial plants live for three or fours years, and others live much longer. Some may die back to the ground each year while others start growth at the tips of the stems where growth stopped the previous year.