Winter rest (from the German term Winterruhe) is a state of reduced activity of plants and warm-blooded animals living in extratropical regions of the world during the more hostile environmental conditions of winter.
In this state, they save energy during cold weather while they have limited access to food sources.
Perennial and biennial herbaceous plants lose their frost-sensitive, above-ground parts before the winter, and regrow in the spring.
Winter rest in an animal is different from true hibernation, since their metabolism is not reduced drastically.
This means that animals like the raccoon can quickly become active again if temperatures rise or the snow melts.