Flower with quickest life cycle??

[cakedup]

For his art project, DS wants to plant a seed and record it's growth and death - in the shortest time possible. I have no idea and tried to look online, I think Daffodil looked fairly promising but even then it was a bit vague.

Can anyone recommend such a plant/flower?

Daffodil would be plant in autumn and flowers in spring.
Sweet peas you could possibly plant still and they might flower by the end of summer? I think there will be a better suggestion though.

Sunflower?

Ugh the ‘Decay’ project. Dd finally handed in her ‘Decay’ GCSE coursework last week.

She used apples and oranges which went mouldy.

l never want to think about that project anymore <cries>

Chickweed is what you need. Failing that, poppy will grow pretty fast, and flower and produce seeds very quickly. Even better if you have poppies already growing, he can use the current ones for flowering to seed phase and sow some fresh for seed to flower stage.

Does it have to be a flower? If not, mustard and cress will germinate, grow and die off in a matter of a couple of weeks.

The best brassica would be rocket. Or a radish. Both bolt very quickly in the heat.

Nasturtium?

Poppies, sweetpeas and sunflowers are a good call above.

How long has he got?

Marigolds germinate very fast, trouble is they are determined little beasts and cling on to life…..

Daffodil from seed to flower is at least three years, which is why we buy bulbs. And they go on from year to year. You need an opportunistic annual, seed to flower to seed in one year. Thale cress? Hairy bittercress? Otherwise poppy or Nigella (love in a mist)

Virginia Stock has a quick life cycle

Dandelion?

Thank you so much for your suggestions! We will have a look together tonight.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow this is A level art and I got the impression it was his idea/choice to do this. But I will definitely suggest fruit as another option. I think he's quite hell bent on getting cycle from seed though.

Yes I also thought watercress, if we couldn't find a suitable flower. Will also look into the alternatives as suggested.

@carefullycourageous he doesn't know how long he has got 😠🙄
I've told him to find out today.

Nigella. Good to draw, too.

Does death have to mean seeds and dies? Or could life cycle refer to something getting eaten by slugs and killed?

Some bedding plant seeds might work - alyssum or lobelia? They're pretty quick.

annual weeds are your best bet!

Green beans? With non-neglectful watering (looking at some of mine which I forgot about) watering and enough warm days you might start to get flowers in a few weeks.

hairy bittercress - completes cycle in one season

Tbh if it is alevel you can leave him to it!

Virginia Stock I'm telling you. I don't think you'll do better.
So so fast. Pretty too.