overwinter

Overwinter is a verb meaning to spend or survive the winter. As a noun, overwintering describes the process of passing through winter or the state in which an organism or plant remains protected until spring. The term is common in botany, horticulture, agriculture, and ecology.

In horticulture and agriculture, overwintering means protecting plants through cold months so they resume growth in spring. Hardy species tolerate cold with minimal protection; tender plants require measures such as mulching, wrapping, or moving indoors. Common methods include cold frames, cloches, greenhouses, and overwintering in basements or garages for potted plants.

Animals and insects overwinter by migration, hibernation, or diapause. Some birds and mammals move to milder areas, others reduce activity or enter torpor. Insects may overwinter as eggs, pupae, or dormant larvae. Plants overwinter by relying on energy stored in underground structures such as bulbs, corms, tubers, or thick roots to survive frost.

Environmental conditions and climate influence overwintering success. In cultivation, improper overwintering can cause damage or death, while climate change is altering patterns of cold, dormancy, and pest pressure, with potential shifts in which species overwinter and where.