In nature, dormancy is a natural process in a perennial plant’s life where growth and development are put on pause, allowing them to conserve energy and survive in climates where part of the year isn’t ideal for aerial growth. Many plants have a biological clock that alerts them to slow down their activities, preparing them for a period of rest. When unfavorable weather conditions arise, and the plant is unable to receive essential signals from the outside environment, its energy turns inward.
In this redirection, the plant relies on its own innate wisdom and rhythms that have been around for millennia. Seeds might continue dormancy despite favorable conditions, giving them time to come to maturation. Seeds hold the potential for abundance over their lifetimes, which is why they remain dormant until conditions are most favorable to them. In any given season, this might reduce the yield, which isn’t ideal for big agriculture but is highly desirable in nature as many seeds only germinate once in a season, often in spring.
In the early stages of dormancy, plants take their cues from the outside world, such as changes in light and temperature, to pause their growth. When those externals shift, their growth continues. However, once a plant or seed has entered the resting stage of dormancy, they will not grow regardless of how advantageous the environmental conditions are. In this restful stage, they take their cues from internal biological rhythms and wait until they have the best chance at propagating with a movement toward the health of the future. Similarly, certain mammals hibernate in the winter. Many reptiles also go through a period of dormancy, called brumation, in the winter months.
