Are you talking about true annuals or tender perennials? It would be best to know what specific plant you mean.

I guess I'm talking about impatiens or salvia :)

i think of a cutting.. recently rooted.. as a babe ... with its own life span ...

if you are suggesting that it retains the age of mom.. and will die the same day mom does ... [presuming no other impact, like frost in MI] ... then no.. i disagree ...

is that your simple premise??

ken

Are you talking about Impatiens walleriana, the ubiquitous bedding annuals? Actually a tender perennial but only hardy to zone 10, no frost allowed. Sounds like you're right on the border of hardiness. If frost is killing your mama plants, it will also kill the babies.

Different plants react to being propagated differently. For some, they retain sexual maturity, continuing to make flowers as if nothing happened. Begonias do that. Others will stop everything to grow new roots, then a new "section" while the cutting part remains stagnant or eventually dies, but that's usually what happens with a leaf cutting. I would bet your impatiens behave as the former, with the cutting continuing to grow and flower but have never played with them, just a gut instinct because of the juicy stems, so similar to Begonia.

I thought all Salvias were perennials but if they're dying for you in z9, maybe not. Or maybe it's a heat issue instead of a cold issue. Don't feel qualified to say much about that, not much into them. Will be curious to hear what others have to say.

Thank you Ken yes you hit the nail on the head. :)
Purpleinopp- I wasn't sure if salvia was a perennial or not. Just assumed for what reason I do not know lol mine aren't dying off but I was curious about the life span of the clippings.