Awakening from Dormancy
Resurrection Plants (Selaginella lepidophylla) These desert plants can survive complete desiccation for years, appearing lifeless until exposed to moisture, when they rapidly unfurl and resume metabolic activity within a few hours.
Unusual and Extreme Dormancy Cases
Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum) This enormous, foul-smelling flower remains dormant underground for up to a decade before blooming in a dramatic 48-hour display, attracting pollinators with its scent of rotting flesh. Pictured here in the Denver Botanical Garden
Arctic Lupine (Lupinus arcticus) Seeds of this plant found in permafrost have been successfully germinated after lying dormant for over 10,000 years, yet once exposed to warmth and moisture, they sprout within days.
Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) Unlike most plants, this white, leafless species lacks chlorophyll and does not photosynthesize. It can remain dormant underground for years, only emerging in a matter of days when conditions allow it to parasitize mycorrhizal fungi.
Awakening from Dormancy: How Plants and Fungi Come to Life in Spring
As winter fades and temperatures rise, the natural world undergoes a remarkable transformation. Trees bud, flowers bloom, and fungi emerge from the soil, all signaling the end of dormancy. This process is triggered by rising temperatures, longer daylight hours, increased moisture, and internal hormonal shifts that reactivate metabolic activity.
Plants break dormancy by restarting key biological functions. Buds, previously suppressed by abscisic acid (ABA), begin to grow. Root systems, once dormant in cold soil, reactivate to absorb water and nutrients, fueling above ground growth. As leaves unfurl, photosynthesis resumes, converting sunlight into energy. In trees like maples, sap begins to flow, moving stored nutrients from roots to branches to support rapid development.
Fungi follow a different path, emerging from dormancy as their underground mycelium networks reactivate. Warmer temperatures and moisture stimulate mycelial expansion, enabling fungi to absorb nutrients from decaying matter or symbiotic plant roots. Fruiting bodies, such as morels and oyster mushrooms, begin to form in response to spring rains. Mycorrhizal fungi, which assist trees by exchanging nutrients, resume their vital role in forest ecosystems.
Honey Fungus (Armillaria ostoyae) This massive underground fungus, which holds the record for the largest living organism, can remain dormant for years or even decades. It spreads via root-like rhizomorphs, waiting until nearby trees weaken before aggressively colonizing them. When conditions become favorable, it can grow several feet per year and produce honey-colored mushrooms in the fall.
Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) These trees can endure severe drought, suspending growth for multiple years. Once moisture returns, they resume growth in just weeks, rapidly producing new needles and expanding root systems.
And the people’s choice award should probably go to the Zombie Fungus (Cordycep), made popular by Planet Earth and The Last of Us. This parasitic fungus infects insects, keeping its spores dormant inside the host for months until environmental cues trigger fungal growth. Once activated, it can take just a few weeks to force the host into a death grip before erupting from its body to release spores.