Question
Hi Nick,

We moved to Venice just in time to have an exceptionally cold winter.  With no experience with the local plants, I have several questions.  

1-Our crotons look totally lifeless.  When we cut the stems, they seem to be very brittle and have no green under the bark.  Do you think they will come back or, should they be replaced?
2-The ixora have some leaves and some new growth in places but the most exposed parts don't seem to be regenerating.  Again, is patience the key or should we replace them?

Thank you very much for your help.

Angela

Answer
Angela, welcome to paradise! albeit you wouldn't know it with the cold damaaged , stressed horticulture surrounding us right now; crotons and ixoras are two plants that really got damaged by the cold spell we had last month, and if (as you say..) the cambium layer showed brown on the bark tests, then they are indeed dead, but if (as in the case of ixoras..) they are still green, then patience is the course right now. Luckily they are both relatively inexpensive plants, so I yanked mine up and replaced them. Nick