What happens to winter annuals after they produce seed?

Winter annuals are a category of plants that germinate in the fall, grow through the winter, and typically complete their life cycle—including seed production—by the spring or early summer. After they produce seed, winter annuals generally die as part of their natural life cycle. This die-off occurs because they have fulfilled their purpose of reproduction.

Their life cycle is designed to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and moisture available in the winter, allowing them to grow when many other plants are not active. Once they set seed, they often succumb to environmental stresses or simply cease to live, making way for new plants to germinate from the seeds they've produced.

This behavior contrasts sharply with perennials, which can live for multiple years, or annuals that complete their life cycle in a single growing season but may behave differently regarding dormancy or rooting characteristics.