Climate change may confuse plant dormancy cycles
Tuesday, August 8, 2017 - 07:02
in Earth & Climate
Perennial plants in the Midwest are well attuned to their surroundings. They hunker down all winter in a dormant state, just waiting for a sign that it's safe to unfurl their first tender leaves or flower buds. For many plants, the cue is a sustained warming trend, but day length also factors into the dormancy equation.