What kind of growth strategy do creeping perennials employ?

Creeping perennials utilize a growth strategy that involves spreading through seeds, stolons, or rhizomes. This adaptability allows them to cover ground effectively over time, creating a dense mat of foliage that can outcompete other plants for resources such as light, water, and nutrients.

Stolons, also known as runners, are horizontal stems that grow along the soil surface and can root at various points, leading to new plant growth. Rhizomes are underground stems that also spread laterally, allowing for new shoots to emerge from nodes. By using these strategies, creeping perennials can establish and maintain their presence in an area over multiple growing seasons, which contributes to their resilience and ability to thrive in various environmental conditions.

The other options don't accurately describe the growth strategy of creeping perennials. For instance, while some plants do rely solely on seeds for reproduction, or may survive winter as a dormant phase, these methods do not encompass the full range of strategies employed by creeping perennials. Furthermore, completing a life cycle in just one season applies more to annual plants, not perennials that are designed to thrive over several seasons.