The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word BIENNIAL
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
B
I
E
N
N
I
A
L
More clues leading to the result BIENNIAL
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Type of plant" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case type of plant = biennial.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BIENNIAL mean?
BIENNIAL noun- A plant that requires two years to complete its life-cycle, germinating and growing in its first year, then producing its flowers and fruit in its second year, after which it usually dies
- An event that happens every two years
- Happening every two years.
- Lasting for two years.