The plant kingdom has invented a wide range of strategies to combat the rigors of winter. With the lowering of the thermometer, many plants slow down or stop their activity, and even their aerial organs disappear and become lethargic .
However, there are species adapted to cold, such as those that live in the mountains and boreal regions, which, apart from the aforementioned adaptations, are covered with hair -such as edelweiss-, have hard and waxy covers on their leaves -such as the rhododendron-, they adopt the shape of a pad -such as the so-called stone-plants- or they live underground or at ground level. Many of these bulbous plants need low winter temperatures to bloom in spring. Without going any further, this is what happens to the tulip and the crocus.
Plants that colonize the coldest regions manufacture antifreeze products , such as certain alcohols and sugars, to prevent intracellular fluids from freezing, which would cause certain death.
