Which type of plant completes its life cycle in two years, producing leaves and roots the first year and flowers and fruit the second?

The correct answer is biennial because biennial plants have a unique growth cycle that spans two years. In the first year, these plants typically focus on establishing their roots and developing foliage. During the second year, they shift their energy toward reproduction, which includes flowering and producing seeds or fruit.

This characteristic distinguishes biennials from other plant types. For instance, annual plants complete their entire life cycle within a single growing season, emerging, flowering, and dying all in one year. Perennials, on the other hand, can live for multiple years, regrowing each season without completing their life cycle within just two years. Evergreens refer to a specific category of plants that retain their leaves throughout the year, rather than reflecting any specific cyclical growth characteristic.

Overall, biennials are defined specifically by their two-year life cycle, making this option the best fit for the question.