Frost　deposition　on　cryogenic　temperature　surfaces　shows　many　very　special　phenomena　to　that　on　ordinary-low　temperature　surfaces　due　to　different　frost　formation　mechanisms.　In　this　paper,　the　initial　frost　crystal　and　dendrite　growth　were　measured　under　natural　convection　conditions　on　a　vertical　cold　plate　surface　whose　temperature　is　as　low　as　−190　°C.　Four　frost　formation　mechanisms　(namely,　cold　surface　condensation,　cold　surface　desublimation,　in-boundary-layer　condensation,　and　in-boundary-layer　desublimation　frost　formation)　and　three　dendrite　growth　patterns　(that　is,　desublimation　dominated　dendrite　growth,　heavy　phase　particle　deposition　dominated　dendrite　growth,　and　desublimation　and　deposition　compound　dendrite　growth)　were　summarized　based　on　the　frost　crystal　nucleation　position　and　dendrites　growth　compound　dendrite　growth.　It　was　found　that　the　cold　plate　temperature　has　a　direct　impact　on　the　frost　formation　mechanism.　When　the　cold　plate　temperature　is　below　−50　°C,　more　than　one　frost　formation　mechanisms　is　usually　observed　during　frosting　process,　indicating　that　two　or　more　mechanisms　occur　simultaneously.　The　dendrite　growth　pattern　dominated　by　desublimation　has　the　fastest　growth　rate,　and　is　prone　to　grow　feather　or　pine　like　dendrites;　the　dendrite　growth　rate　dominated　by　deposition　is　the　slowest,　and　the　dendrite　shape　is　cluster　or　flocculent.　These　findings　are　of　great　significance　for　understanding　the　frost　formation　and　growth　phenomena　as　well　as　providing　reference　for　defrosting　and　frost　suppression　under　different　cold　surface　temperature　conditions.　©　2025