In the plant life cycle, seedling, vegetative, seed production, what comes next?

• A. Maturity
• B. Death
• C. Reproduction
• D. Growth

Answer: (A)

The main idea is the progression of development to a stage where the plant is fully developed and capable of continuing the cycle. After seed production, the plant has reached fullness of development and is considered mature. This maturity means the plant has completed its growth enough to reproduce and set seeds, and in many cases marks the end of that growing season for annuals, while perennials may continue to live and repeat the cycle. Growth happens earlier, as the plant expands its size and resources before flowering; death is not an automatic next step for every plant after seed production, and reproduction is already represented by producing seeds, so it isn’t the immediate next stage.