Winter is a time of seeding for many meadow plants
Some plants that flower in the summer wait until the dead of winter before spreading their seeds. Because of this, the dried up and dead stems of these winter seeders can often be seen standing amidst the snow, exposed to the elements. Common winter seeders include the wild angelica, meadowsweet, tansy and goldenrod. These species all release their seeds to be carried and rolled on the snow banks by the winter winds. On even and unobstructed snow, the seeds spread far further from their parent plant than they would without snow cover, when the ground is uneven and strewn with obstacles. The seeds can also hitch a ride on meltwater in the spring.
