How do plants survive cold weather?

                   

                   Plants survive the cold by shutting down most of their normal processes. Some plants die back as soon as the weather becomes cold, storing food in their roots or in special organs such as bulbs. The plants are ready to grow back when the weather warms up again. Woody plants cannot do this, so they usually lose their leaves because they do not need to photosynthesize. These plants become inactive, or dormant, until the spring. Some plants have tough leathery leaves that can withstand the cold, so they just slow down their internal processes and wait for warmer weather. Some plants do not survive the winter at all, but their continuation is guaranteed because they produce resistant seeds that grow quickly in the spring.

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