Page 25 - A Field Guide to Fairfax County's Plants and Wildlife
P. 25
iosperms are fully enclosed in an ovary. A ripe plant ovary
is called a fruit, even if it doesn’t look like what we think of as
a fruit! Watermelons, tomatoes, pumpkins, walnuts, acorns,
strawberries, corn on the cob, rice…all are “fruits.”
A plant’s life cycle describes how long it takes to grow, flower
and fruit. A plant can be either an annual, perennial or biennial.
An annual is a plant that completes its life cycle in one growing
season. A plant that needs two growing seasons to complete
its life cycle is a biennial. These plants produce leaves one
season, rest over winter, and grow flowers and seeds the
following spring and summer. A plant that lives through three
or more growing seasons is called a perennial.
When identifying plants, some key characteristics to look at
are: height, leaf arrangement, leaf shape, flower color and
timing (if present), and location (Is it in the sun or shade? Wet
or dry area?).
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is called a fruit, even if it doesn’t look like what we think of as
a fruit! Watermelons, tomatoes, pumpkins, walnuts, acorns,
strawberries, corn on the cob, rice…all are “fruits.”
A plant’s life cycle describes how long it takes to grow, flower
and fruit. A plant can be either an annual, perennial or biennial.
An annual is a plant that completes its life cycle in one growing
season. A plant that needs two growing seasons to complete
its life cycle is a biennial. These plants produce leaves one
season, rest over winter, and grow flowers and seeds the
following spring and summer. A plant that lives through three
or more growing seasons is called a perennial.
When identifying plants, some key characteristics to look at
are: height, leaf arrangement, leaf shape, flower color and
timing (if present), and location (Is it in the sun or shade? Wet
or dry area?).
r 21 r
