How do the trees survive winter?

       Much of the trunk of a deciduous tree is made up of dead cells. But if the entire trunk dies, well, the tree will die soon as well. How do the living cells in the trunk manage to keep from freezing to death in the winter?
        First, not all the living cells in a trunk make it through the winter. But a percentage of them generally do. To manage this they change their cell membrances to be more pliable, which allows some of the water to flow from the inside of the cells, to the spaces between cells. The fluid between the cells does freeze. But the fluid that remains inside the cells becomes sweeter -- which makes it act as an antifreeze and keep those cells alive. 
​     I learned this by reading an article by Michael Snyder in "Outside Story" published December 28, 2012. 

Above photo of a Japanese Maple was taken at Bullington Garden in Hendersonville, NC by Ruthie Rosauer.
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