Pest Control Technician Practice Exam

Which type of plant completes its life cycle over two years?

1. Perennials

2. Annuals

3. Biennials

4. Evergreens

The correct answer is: Biennials

A biennial plant is characterized by its life cycle that spans across two years. In the first year, the plant typically focuses on vegetative growth, developing leaves and a strong root system. It often does not flower during this initial stage. In the second year, the biennial plant will produce flowers, set seed, and then die. This growth pattern strategically allows biennials to adapt to varying environmental conditions, as they take time to establish themselves before producing reproductive structures. Perennials, in contrast, live for more than two years and can continue to produce flowers and seeds annually after reaching maturity. Annuals complete their entire life cycle from germination to seed production within a single growing season, dying after they have seeded. Evergreens are a category of trees and shrubs that retain their foliage throughout the year and do not have a defined growing cycle like biennials. Thus, biennials distinctly fit the criteria of completing their life cycle in two years.