Where do Plants Spend the Winter?

We’re all familiar with animal adaptations to winter. Many birds leave town all together to avoid cold weather. Some snakes hibernate, going underground. Other animals add a layer of fat or change the color of their fur, adaptations for survival in snowy terrain.

So, where do plants spend the winter? The simplistic answer is: the same place they spent the summer.

But, that doesn’t mean plants are the same in winter and summer. You may be surprised that plant adaptations are remarkable similar to those of animals. Annuals “leave” town for the winter, dying with the first cold. Their seeds go traveling, courtesy of animals and wind, and will “return” as new plants in spring.

Perennials go underground, storing food and nutrients in roots and underground stems. The tulips you have just planted and the potatoes and sweet potatoes you enjoyed with your holiday meals are examples of plants that create special structures to accomplish this task.

Trees and shrubs don’t add a layer of fat but add sugar instead. This creates a natural antifreeze within each cell that prevents freezing, even if temperatures fall below zero. We take advantage of this antifreeze and harvest the sap of the sugar maple in spring.

Some plants, like the arctic animals, change their look in winter. Trees shed leaves, an adaptation that prevents excessive water loss. The absence of leaves also prevents breakage that might occur with the weight of a heavy winter snow. In contrast, evergreens look the same all year long and, on a warm winter day, can function as in summer, converting sunlight and carbon dioxide into usable food.

The landscape can be a wonder in winter – a chance to admire the many ways animals and plants survive even the coldest days.