EB1645 Factors that Influence Winter Injury Plants in the Pacific Northwest may suffer injury due to extremeIy cold temperatures or other types of winter weather. Winter injury may be caused by a complex combination of circumstances rather than a single factor and the extent of injury will also vary. By understanding how plants react to winter temperatures, predictions can sometimes be made concerning the type and extent of damage that may occur. However, in the Pacific Northwest's varying climates and microclimates, general predictions are difficult to make. Genetic Hardiness Plants native to a geographic region have evolved in response to the climate and weather patterns of that region.
Hardy plants survive and produce offspring which pass on the genetic hardiness.
Through natural selection, these plants will have a better survival rate. Native plants usually survive winter cold. Many landscape plants are introduced or are considered exotic. They may be adapted to completely different environments than native plants. Exotic or introduced plants often respond differently to local climatic cues than native plants.