Heather’s Gardening Service

Written by Heather Morren

Most people are familiar with the word hibernation. It’s a process that many animals, including bears, skunks, groundhogs and even beavers, do in the winter time. Their body temperature drops, their metabolic rate slows and they appear as if they are sleeping for an extended period of time so that they can survive until the spring on a limited food supply.

You may be thinking, what does hibernation have to do with plants? Well, hibernation is one of five types of animal dormancy but, believe it or not, some plants also go through dormancy periods.

Do plants hibernate?

Kind of. Just like hibernation, many plants go through a dormancy stage during the winter months (or dry season) as a survival tactic. 

One can observe this process occurring in your yard when your maple loses all of its leaves in the fall or when the petals on your poppies shrivel up and crumble to the ground. Outdoor plants shed their foliage and blossoms so that it can send the much needed energy to their roots to help them survive in the freezing cold weather. 

You can also bear witness to plant dormancy when your hollyhocks produces an abundance of seeds for next spring. Rather than dropping their seeds to the ground and immediately beginning to produce a new plant that would likely die due to harsh winter conditions, the seeds remain dormant either on the stem or in the soil until the spring when conditions are more favorable for growth. 

Bulb plants, such as tulips, daffodils, garlic, and crocus also experience a dormancy stage. These plants are often interred into the soil in the fall as a bulb. They remain underground, biding their time until the dirt warms from the heat of the spring sun and encourages them to reach their roots downwards and their stems to grow upwards. 

Do indoor plants experience dormancy?

Although the conditions inside your home are much more constant than those out of doors, many indoor plants, especially tropical ones, also experience mild effects of dormancy over the winter months. 

The major contributing factor to this process is the change in sunlight that your plant receives over the winter. Just like their outdoor cousins, indoor plants need to conserve energy when they are not getting enough sunlight. 

Another reason your plant may experience mild dormancy is because of the fluctuating air temperature in your home. Plants that are placed too close to a cold window or a hot air vent will also likely show a marked change in their appearance and needs over the winter. 

How do I know if my indoor plant is experiencing dormancy?

Here are some things that may indicate that your indoor plant is experiencing the effects of winter dormancy:

• -Your indoor plants may appear more pale or have yellow leaves
• -They may lose some leaves
• -Your plant may stop putting out new growth, especially flowers

What can I do to help my indoor plants in the winter months?

• -Water your plant less or less frequently.
• -Ensure your plant is getting enough sunlight by: potentially moving your plant to a more sunny spot, dusting off its leaves so it can absorb more sunlight, or providing your indoor plant with artificial sunlight such as a grow lamp
• -Move your plant away from drafty areas including cold windows and hot vents
• -Maintain the humidity level in your home
• -Avoid fertilizing or repotting your plant (not everyone follows this rule though)

Which Indoor plants show signs of dormancy the most?

While most indoor plants only experience small changes to their growth over the winter, some common household plants, like the ones below, go through a much more pronounced dormancy period so don’t panic when you see them losing leaves or looking a little lifeless.

Marble Queen Pothos
Chinese Evergreen
Philodendron
Aloe Vera
Snake Plant
Fiddle Leaf Fig
Monstera Deliciosa

Photos in this article were taken by Heather Morren, Tamryn Streaton, Kathleen Liska and Amber Lukian. Information was sourced from a wide variety of online resources. Please ask, should you wish to see a full list.