[DALEPQ]

We like many others had our Hibiscus hit hard by the frost in January.
They now look dead. Not sure what to do about this. Will they regenerate?
Should they be cut way back, or what, and when?
We just don't have any experience on how to handle this?
Thanks for any recommendations.

[Dana1963]

The cold broke it. TRY cutting it back. Can't break it any worse than it is try cutting back 2/3 of the branches

[bagboy]

Originally Posted by DALEPQ

We like many others had our Hibiscus hit hard by the frost in January.
They now look dead. Not sure what to do about this. Will they regenerate?
Should they be cut way back, or what, and when?
We just don't have any experience on how to handle this?
Thanks for any recommendations.

You can Google this, you'll find most advice leans towards waiting until the threat of a freeze or frost has passed. I would wait. I've trimmed struggling hibiscus down to almost nothing, replanted it, and it has flourish afterward.

[Michael G.]

Originally Posted by Dana1963

TRY cutting it back. Can't break it any worse than it is try cutting back 2/3 of the branches

Nursery told us don't do ANYTHING for a couple weeks yet
We still could have another freeze and cutting back would make it worse

[Bjeanj]

I had hibiscus up north. Sooo difficult for cold to kill it. Don’t worry. It’ll come back. As others have said, don’t trim anything right now. Wait another 4-6 weeks.

[billethkid]

Yes for those with luck....they will come back.

Ours (years ago) did not. Along with several other non cold hardy plants (we did not know any better then).
Yes we did the covering, the heat lamps and the hoping.

We no longer plant anything that is not native to the area or cold hardy. No more worry/cover/heat/trim/etc.

[dewilson58]

Do not cut back for at least two more weeks...........if you can stand it, wait until March.

[MDLNB]

I had them up North and cut them down to about ten inches every year for the winter. The next year, they always came back. Just wait until it starts to warm up again for the spring/summer and cut the dead off. Most likely it will be fine.

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Do not cut back for at least two more weeks...........if you can stand it, wait until March.

Good advice - follow it. Leave everything in the yard until March, we may have another shot of winter in February and if you do cut back now you will probably lose the plant because once you cut it back it is going to have a growth spurt and if that gets frozen the plant cannot come back. I know the yards look awful, but hang on.

[JMEZARIC3]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Do not cut back for at least two more weeks...........if you can stand it, wait until March.

I agree . You need to find were the plant is dead. Scratch a branch ,if you see brown go another 12 inches .If you see green cut the branch 1 in below . If brown keep going . The last freeze a few years ago I took the plant all the way down except for one branch . The plant came back to be a full bush that needed trimming 3 times a year.

[Rzepecki]

Originally Posted by DALEPQ

We like many others had our Hibiscus hit hard by the frost in January.
They now look dead. Not sure what to do about this. Will they regenerate?
Should they be cut way back, or what, and when?
We just don't have any experience on how to handle this?
Thanks for any recommendations.

The official answer:

Winter is here! - UF/IFAS Extension Marion County

[Gerrys]

Don’t trim until mid March. It will come back.

[Larchap49]

Originally Posted by DALEPQ

We like many others had our Hibiscus hit hard by the frost in January.
They now look dead. Not sure what to do about this. Will they regenerate?
Should they be cut way back, or what, and when?
We just don't have any experience on how to handle this?
Thanks for any recommendations.

Wait until it starts budding then cut it back to the point you see green inside the cut branches, or to the first new bud

[Bonnevie]

leave it alone for now. I have had many of them freeze, they always came back

[Cliff Fr]

Don't cut it back until the danger of frost is gone. The dead part protects the rest of the plant