I think the definition should include the words "if happy in your location". I would define all of them as short-lived perennials. They will fail to over-winter if the soil is too moist--they don't like wet feet in winter. Sometimes if you don't dead head black-eyed-susans they won't come back--maybe it's a survival instinct that if they haven't set seed they'll try, try again. And sometimes, and wrongly too, a plant which is typically annual is called perennial because you find it in the garden the next year--because it is a reliable reseeder. It not come back from the original roots but has successfully reseeded, perhaps even making its own little colony.

I could certainly do with some more heat units. The ornamental corn seems stuck at two feet and the purple mulline is even shorter. The poke weed that I bought and was told it would reach 5 to 6 feet is 6 inches but very bushy.The rose of sharon and perennial hibiscus are getting good and strong as are the cosmos. And my peas are still producing. I did not have to do a second sowing. Oh and did I say it is raining? The best one is I heard that there is a city in Ontario ( can't remember which one) whose water bill is going up in the fall because it rained too much and not enough water was used from the water plant so the plant has to make up revenue some how???

Not a Norway maple but I have cut through the root web of a maple tree and planted both herbaceous and tree peonies under it. It would be better to plant at a greater distance than 3-6 feet because the branches could keep the plants from getting enough moisture except in a very wet season. Dig down through the root web to see how deep the root webbing goes. If you would put a pot or other barrier deeper than that you could retard the root growth in that area. A herbaceous really like more sun than provided by a maple. Mine has grown and flowered but not sent up many stems. Bulbs of all kinds would do better.

"I don't know the botanical names of my seeds, what should I do?" Just make a well described list, that's all. Here's an example: Blue Bachelor Buttons Pink Cosmos Black-eyed Susans 3' annual plant with pink trumpet flowers, likes sun, very pretty! Yummy Cantaloupes from my Dad's garden Bush Tomato, meaty, sweet, not too acid ===================== That's a nice list!...I'd be happy to trade with you!