what is flowering

The flowering plants (angiosperms) go through a phase of vegetative growth — producing more stems and leaves — and a flowering phase where they produce the organs for sexual reproduction. In "annuals", like the snapdragon, the vegetative phase begins with germination of the seed. Flowering follows and ends with the senescence and death of the plant. In biennials, the vegetative phase takes up the first year; flowering followed by death occurs the second year. In perennials, flowering typically occurs year after year when conditions are appropriate. Vegetative growth of the above-ground part of the plant — the shoot — occurs at the apical meristem. This is a mass of undifferentiated cells at the tip of the stem. Mitosis of these cells produces cells that differentiate to form more stem leaves secondary meristems. Also called lateral buds, these form in the axils of the leaves and will form branches.