Question
My plant does well in the summer, but in the winter the leaves fall off  although I protect it from the cold. How much water does it need in the winter. Is it dead or will it recover?

Answer
Shade-loving 'Persian Shield' ('Strobilanthes dyeranus' to botanists) loses its leaves in North Florida and goes dormant, but returns in Spring.  This is typical.  It is hardy to Zone 9, but that just means it will survive -- it behaves like a non-woody perennial when there's frost on the ground.

University of Florida posts a cheat sheet on this popular plant from Burma that will give you all the details:

nassau.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/newsletter/newsletters07/jan07news.pdf

North of Zone 9, this plant must either be moved indoors or treated like a tender Annual.  When it is dormant, it does not need to be watered.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER