In the midst of a record cold winter it might be encouraging to examine an organism that actually flourishes during this type of weather.
Lichens love cold weather.
In fact, they only grow in the winter when temperatures are below 50 degrees. They go dormant during the summer heat. Lichens are everywhere in our environment, but few of us know, or perhaps care, much about them. But like all of Mother Nature's bounty, they have a fascinating story to tell. The fungal part of the association primarily falls to one of the species of ascomycetes, or cup fungi.