Summer annuals are best described by which life cycle?

• A. Grow from seeds that sprout in the spring, mature and reproduce before dying in the winter.
• B. Grow from cuttings and survive the winter.
• C. Require two growing seasons.
• D. Do not produce seeds.

Answer: (A)

Summer annuals complete their life cycle in one growing season: they germinate from seeds in spring, grow, flower, and set seeds, then die as winter approaches. This pattern means the next generation overwinters as seeds, not as mature plants. That’s why this description fits best. The other ideas describe plants that survive or reproduce differently—growing from cuttings and overwintering as mature plants refers to perennials, needing two growing seasons refers to biennials, and not producing seeds contradicts the defining trait of annuals.