What Happens to Plant Life During the Winter?   Annual plants
die in the fall after they scatter their seeds directly on the
ground or include them in fruit that is consumed by animals and
deposited elsewhere. Their seeds contain hormones that cause
them to germinate in the warm spring weather that follows winter
cold. Perennial plants, deciduous woody shrubs and some trees go
dormant in the winter and begin growing again in the spring.
Evergreen trees and woody shrubs conduct photosynthesis at a
reduced rate.   Trees store reserves of nutrients during the
spring and summer growing season. When the days begin to
shorten, the temperature falls and the light spectrum changes
from blue to red, hormones tell the plants to bear fruit and
begin dropping their leaves in preparation for going dormant
during the winter. As the green chlorophyll needed for
photosynthesis disappears, the leaves turn orange, red and
yellow. Evergreen trees conduct photosynthesis at a reduced rate
during the winter, especially during peri