How Native Plants Adapt To the Winter

Winter isn’t only a harsh season for people and wildlife. It also asks a lot of our plants.

All plants (both native and non-native) need sunlight and water to survive. In the winter, both of these resources are in short supply. Short days mean less sunlight, and freezing temperatures solidify water so plants can’t access it.

Luckily, native plants have spent thousands of years learning how to survive Ohio and Kentucky winters. Above the surface, it might not look like they’re doing much. But there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye. Here’s an overview of how our region’s native plants have adapted to wintry conditions.

An Our Land Organics native landscape in winter

Annual natives die back before winter.

Annual natives have developed a convenient means of coping with winter: They simply opt out.

Each plant produces seeds before winter starts, and then the plant dies off as cold temperatures set in. While the individual plant won’t survive the winter, its seeds are designed to germinate come spring—ensuring the species’ continued existence.

Most biennial and perennial natives enter a period of dormancy.

Unlike annuals, biennial and perennial native plants are adapted to survive through the winter and will continue to grow come spring. This means the individual plants (not just their seeds) stay alive through the colder months.

Most perennials change their appearance as part of their winter survival strategy. They stop putting energy into maintaining the parts above ground, resulting in the fallen leaves, browned stems, and dieback that we all expect from our winter landscapes. This period is also called dormancy.

Since they don’t need to invest energy in maintaining leaves or growing stems during the winter, these perennials can focus instead on growing their root systems. This is made easier by the fact that soil temperatures are usually warmer than air temperatures in winter. The roots store nutrients that keep the plant fed until the growing season returns.

Photo credit: Nicholas_T

Some native perennials stay green.

Native evergreen species, such as Eastern red cedar, operate differently than most perennial and biennial species. Instead of dying back, the parts of the plant that are above ground stay green. (Hence the name “ever-green.”)

Why do evergreens maintain their usual appearance while deciduous trees and shrubs drop their leaves? It’s partly because evergreens have needles, which are more resistant to cold than deciduous leaves. What’s more, the needles’ unique structure allows evergreens to conserve water during the warmer months, so they can draw on these stores and continue to photosynthesize in the winter.

Perennial native plants provide important resources for winter wildlife.

It might not look like brown perennials are doing much in the winter, but they’re actually providing vital habitat for wintering insects, birds, and other wildlife.

Many native pollinators use dormant stems to lay their larvae and escape cold temperatures. Dormant plant material also provides cover for wildlife, while dried seedheads, dropped nuts from trees, and winter berries provide food sources for birds and small mammals.

Not all plants can overwinter successfully—which is yet another reason why native plants are so important ecologically. For instance, a non-native plant that’s adapted to a cold-hardiness zone in Florida is not going to have the adaptations required to survive winter in Ohio or Kentucky.

Native plants have spent thousands of years figuring out how to survive and thrive in this region, and native pollinators and wildlife have evolved alongside them. This creates a symbiotic relationship that ensures all the living creatures in our ecosystem—from plants to insects, birds, and furry animals—have what they need to overwinter successfully.


Are you dreaming of warmer landscapes this winter? Get a jump start on spring landscaping by securing your spot on our native landscape design/install calendar.