Talk:Biennial plant
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[edit] Imprecise term
The term "Biennal" is not very precise, and is probably more used in gardening than in botany. But even in gardening it isn't a very precise term.
The correct term is "monocarp" which means 'seed only once'. That means that after flowering and producing seeds, the plant will die. Some plants have the ability to produce flowers and seed after a very short growing-time from germination. Those that do so in the weeks or months from spring to winter, are called "annuals".
Some plants uses longer time than one season to reach the state of flowering. A lot needs only two years, and logically are called "biennals", But several plants uses more that two years to reach the flowering state. And some of these are very long lived before they eventually flowers and die, like bamboo and agave (Heracleum mategazzianum and some of the species Gigantea are other examples). Unfortunately these plants are also called "biennals" which obviously isn't a true description.
To complicate even more. Some plants which are true perennials - (have the ability to produce flowers and seeds for more than one year) - are able to flower in its first year after germination, but are not able to withstand frost. A lot of these plants are called annuals or biennals in different seed-catalouges and nurseries.
"Sweet william" (Dianthus barbatus) mentioned in the article may probably behave as a biennal, but is normally a perennial.
