Describe the reproductive phase in higher plants in relation to flowering,including examples.

(N/A) In higher plants,the reproductive phase begins with the onset of flowering,which marks the end of the juvenile or vegetative phase.
Examples: Plants like marigold,wheat,rice,coconut,and mango take different amounts of time to flower. Many plants exhibit flowering more than once in their lifetime.
Some plants,such as mango,apple,and jackfruit,flower only during specific seasons. Some plants show continuous flowering throughout the year,while others exhibit seasonal flowering.
In annual and biennial plants,the vegetative,reproductive,and senescent phases are clearly defined. However,in perennial plants,these phases are very difficult to define clearly.
Some plants show unique flowering patterns. For example,bamboo species flower only once in their lifetime,generally after $50-100$ years,produce a large number of fruits,and then die.
Another example is 'Strobilanthus kunthiana' (Neelakurinji),which flowers once every $12$ years. It flowered in September-October $2006$ in the hilly regions of Kerala,Karnataka,and Tamil Nadu,creating a blue stretch that attracted many tourists.
In animals,the juvenile phase is followed by morphological and physiological changes prior to active reproductive behavior. The duration of the reproductive phase varies among different organisms.