Perennial plants live more than two years and, once established, bloom each year. Some die back to the ground in their off-season; others retain foliage year around. In the low desert, perennial off-seasons are usually during the intense heat of summer and the colder winter months. You may notice that many plants that are considered perennials in other parts of the world are listed as annuals in the attached chart. That’s because they don’t receive enough winter coldness for dormancy or can’t survive our summer heat (without inordinate amounts of care) and are more successfully grown in the low desert as annuals. Perennials require more maintenance than do annuals. They may need to be cut back during their offseason, and divided and replanted as they increase in size. Some of their blooms are tall or heavy enough to require staking. Typically, perennial flower beds are designed to have different combinations of flowers blooming as the year progresses. Unlike annuals, which have a lengthy flowering period, most perennials display peak blossoms for a two- or three-week period. Thus, the design of a perennial garden should take into account when the flowers bloom, as well as their color, height and leaf texture.

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