How to identify a perennial flower?
Perennial means it comes back year after year. Some perennials are also evergreen, like hostas and some heucheras, but most perennials are herbaceous, meaning they die back each autumn and regrow in spring. Many perennials grow quickly, forming large clumps. If you don’t divide them every two to three years, these clumps can die out in the middle, leaving a bare hole.Perennials are a flower garden’s backbone, providing beautiful color, texture and form. They are easy-care, dependable performers that come back every year.In botany, the term perennial (per- + -ennial, through the year) is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years.Many perennials follow the 3-year rule: they sleep in the first year, creep in the second, and leap in the third. Understanding this natural growth cycle helps manage expectations and ensures long-term gardening success.