Mountain plants have to survive fierce winds and biting cold.Pinks and gentians grow very close to the ground in tight groups .This protects them from cold,drying winds.Because of the cold dry winds,some trees only grow 10 cm tall. Mountain plants grow very slowly because they do not have a lot of energy.Many take over 10 years to flower.Lichen on a rock may take 100 years to grow to the size of a postage stamp .Alpine snowbell shoots give off heat to melt a patch of snow so that the plant can flower even when the ground is icy.