Winter Dormancy
Winter dormancy refers to the vegetative resting phase of many perennials, shrubs and fruit trees during the cold season. During this time, plants slow their metabolism, growth stops, and they conserve energy to get through the winter.
What happens during winter dormancy?
As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, the plant responds to the changing environmental conditions:
- Metabolism is greatly reduced, and cell activity and water transport decrease.
- Deciduous trees shed their leaves to prevent water loss.
- Evergreen plants keep their foliage but lower their transpiration rate.
- Energy is stored in the form of starch in roots, tubers or wood.
Winter dormancy is therefore not a "dead" state, but an active protective phase that helps the plant withstand cold and frost.
Which plants go dormant in winter?
Winter dormancy affects many plants from temperate climate zones, including:
- Fruit trees such as apple, cherry or plum
- Deciduous trees and shrubs such as maple, hazel or hornbeam
- Perennials such as peony, larkspur or phlox
In these species, the above-ground parts often die back in autumn, while the roots and tubers continue to live on underground.
Importance for the garden
Winter dormancy is vital for many plants – it enables bud formation and flowering the following year. Interventions such as hard pruning, repotting or fertilising should be avoided during this phase, as they disrupt the plant's rhythm. Plants overwintered indoors also benefit from a resting period with cooler temperatures and less light.
End of winter dormancy
The resting phase ends when rising temperatures and longer days trigger hormonal processes. The plant takes up water again, forms new shoots and begins to grow actively – the cycle of the garden year starts afresh.
Conclusion
Winter dormancy is a natural adaptation to the cold season. Anyone who respects it promotes the vitality and flowering of their plants – whether in the orchard, perennial bed or winter quarters.