What lifecycle do biennial plants follow?

Biennial plants follow a lifecycle that takes two years to complete. In the first year, these plants typically focus on vegetative growth, developing their leaves and root systems. They accumulate energy and nutrients during this phase, often producing a rosette of leaves near the ground. In the second year, biennials switch to reproductive growth, flowering and producing seeds. After the seeds are dispersed, the plant usually dies.

This lifecycle distinguishes biennials from annual plants, which complete their lifecycle in one year, and from perennials, which can live for multiple years and may grow and reproduce several times throughout their life. Seasonal does not accurately describe the full lifecycle of biennial plants since it suggests a limited timeframe without the two-year progression that characterizes them. Thus, the correct answer reflects the specific two-year process that biennials undergo.