Plants that produce seeds are either gymnosperms, which make seeds in cones, or angiosperms, which create seeds with flowers. This means that all conifers and all flowering plants bear seeds. Gymnosperms and angiosperms reproduce sexually; that is, they have male and female aspects. Pollen, for instance, contains "male" sperm that must fertilize "female" ovules for successful reproduction to occur. The outcome of that reproduction is seed.
Anise
Anise is an herb plant that is grown for its seeds, which have a licorice flavor. The plant is an annual, which means it completes its life in one season--germinating, producing clusters of flowers and then seeding. The plant grows about 2 feet high, enjoying full sun and a well-draining soil. Seedheads are harvested when they turn pale gray.
- Plants that produce seeds are either gymnosperms, which make seeds in cones, or angiosperms, which create seeds with flowers.
- The plant is an annual, which means it completes its life in one season--germinating, producing clusters of flowers and then seeding.
Caraway
Caraway is another herb that produces seeds for eating. The plant is a biennial, living its life in the space of two growing seasons. The first season, caraway produces vegetation. During its second and last season, the plant reaches its full height of about 2 feet and flowers with small white blooms, which create seeds that ripen to brown by the middle of the summer. At that point, the seeds can be harvested and the plant dies. Like anise, caraway is a sun-lover that likes well-drained soil. It doesn't do well along the Gulf Coast of the United States.
- Caraway is another herb that produces seeds for eating.
- The plant is a biennial, living its life in the space of two growing seasons.
Mimosa
Mimosas are trees originally from Asia that, as members of the legume family of plants, produce seeds in pods. Before producing the seed pods, the tree blooms in clusters of flowers that look like spiky pink pom-poms. In some places, the tree is considered invasive due the tree's ability to sprout back from being cut, the fact that it's a non-native of the United States, and the way it can establish itself apart from where it was originally planted. Seeds can stay viable for decades. Still, its interesting appearance makes the tree a popular ornamental.
Tomatoes
Tomato plants, like many plants grown for food, have obvious seeds contained within the fruit. The fruit of flowering plants is actually a mature ovule. Of the three types of tomatoes--determinates, semideterminates and indeterminates--indeterminates are easiest to grow. These are vining tomatoes, producing fruit until frost puts a stop to it. Determinates and semideterminates are bushy, the first growing up to about 18 inches, the latter growing up to 2 feet high. Both stop producing fruit when they've achieved full height.
- Mimosas are trees originally from Asia that, as members of the legume family of plants, produce seeds in pods.
- Tomato plants, like many plants grown for food, have obvious seeds contained within the fruit.
