Why can squirrels survive a cold winter but flowers can not?

Squirrels can survive cold winters due to their ability to store food, such as nuts, and their capacity to enter a state of torpor, reducing their metabolic rate to conserve energy. They also have fur that provides insulation and can find shelter in tree cavities or nests. In contrast, most flowers cannot endure freezing temperatures because they lack the mechanisms to store energy or protect their tissues from frost damage, making them vulnerable to harsh winter conditions. As a result, flowers typically die back and rely on seeds or bulbs to regrow when conditions improve.