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Dormancy

/DOR-mun-see/
🦋 Ecology Basic

Also known as: winter dormancy

A state of minimal metabolic activity and suspended growth that allows plants to survive unfavorable conditions such as winter cold or summer drought. Dormancy may affect the whole plant or just specific organs like seeds and buds.

Etymology

From Latin dormire, meaning "to sleep."

Example

Many perennials enter dormancy in winter, dying back to their roots until spring.