15 Unique Plants That Flourish in the Tundra Biome

The tundra, Earth’s coldest biome, is home to some impressively resourceful plants. They survive and often thrive in an environment that sees just a maximum of 10 inches of rain annually and temperatures as low as -64 degrees F.1 The tundra is just below the Arctic ice caps and includes parts of North America, Europe, and Siberia (a vast portion of Alaska and nearly half of Canada fall in this biome).

Tundra plants are well-adapted to this harsh environment, though. They grow low to avoid winds, develop waxy leaves to avoid water, and even sometimes keep warm with "hair."

These 15 types of tundra plants certainly know how to survive frigid temperatures.

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Arctic Willow (Salix arctica)
Arctic willow plant surrounded by frost on the ground
Gerald Corsi / Getty Images
The creeping arctic willow has adapted to the North American tundra by forming its own natural pesticide to keep insects away. It also has a shallow growing root system, and the leaves grow long fuzzy hairs to help combat the weather.

This plant comes in many different shapes and sizes, though it typically ranges between six and eight inches in height and has long trailing branches that root to the surface. Its leaves are oval-shaped and have a pointed tip, while its flowers are spiky with no pedals.