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When deciding which types of flowers to plant in your landscape, one common question always arises: which is better – annuals or perennials? The answer is neither; both types are essential and beneficial to any landscape, so it’s important to understand what sets them apart.

Which type of flower is best for your landscape depends on your specific desires and preferences. If you’re looking to plant some flowers to your landscape in Lithia, Valrico, Brandon, and the surrounding areas, here’s everything you need to know about annuals vs. perennials.

Perennial Flowers Last for Years, Require More Maintenance

Perennials are flowers that live for three to five years, and return year after year and continue growing until they eventually reach maturity. They grow back each year from roots that go dormant in the soil in the winter. Perennials do best when planted in spring or fall, and bloom for less time than annuals, usually for only two to six weeks. Because perennials have a longer lifespan, they put their energy into growing strong roots instead of growing lots of flowers. Perennials also require more attention and maintenance than annuals, such as constant watering, weed pulling, pruning, and dead-heading (removing dead flower heads).

Perennials tend to be hardier than annuals and more adaptable to weather conditions, thus more expensive. Common perennials include roses, peonies, mums, and lilies.

Annual...