A monocarpic plant flowers, sets seed, and then dies after completing its reproductive cycle. The plant may live for only a single growing season, as with many annuals, or it may grow vegetatively for years or even decades before flowering once and dying.
In houseplants, monocarpy is most noticeable in species such as bromeliads, where the main rosette dies after flowering. However, many monocarpic plants produce offsets, pups, or suckers before they die, allowing the plant colony to persist even though the original stem or rosette is gone. Other examples include the century plant (Agave americana), which typically flowers only once after many years of growth, and the Talipot palm, which flowers once after several decades.
Monocarpy differs from polycarpy, where a plant can flower and produce seeds repeatedly over many years.
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