herbaceous perennial

Often simply referred to as a perennial, a nonwoody plant that may last anywhere from a few years (short-lived perennial) to decades. Many herbaceous perennials are evergreen, especially where winters are mild, but others go dormant and die down to the ground for part of the year. Although their tops are dead, their roots live on below the ground; it is from these persistent rootstocks that the plants renew themselves every year. See also perennial; woody perennial.