What type of plant completes its life cycle in one year from seed germination to death?

The correct answer is summer annual because it specifically refers to plants that germinate, grow, flower, produce seeds, and die within a single growing season, typically during warm weather. These plants efficiently utilize the entire season to complete their life cycle, which generally starts in the spring and ends with the first frost in the fall.

On the other hand, perennial plants live for more than two years, often returning each season. Biennials typically take two years to complete their life cycle, with the first year spent in vegetative growth and the second year used for flowering and seed production. Evergreens are not defined by their life cycle duration but by their foliage, which remains green year-round. Therefore, summer annual is the only choice that accurately fits the description of a plant completing its life cycle in one year.