I left my beautiful Hibiscus plant outdoors over the winter.

Question

We’ve had alot of freezing weather. Did I kill the plant?

And do I cut the stems back close to the soil each fall or not? Also, do you cut back the stems each year or leave it tall as it was, sort of like roses. As you can tell, I have not grown Hibiscus before and want to learn because last summer’s plant was so beautiful.

Answer 1

Oh, hit submit too soon.

As for pruning...

If it is still alive, whether it is tropical or hardy, you should prune it back by about 1/3 in the spring.

This article may also be helpful:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/hibiscus/how-to-care-for-hibiscus-plants.htm

Answer 2

It really depends on what kind of hibiscus you had. There are tropical hibiscus and hardy hibiscus. If it was a tropical hibiscus, it is likely dead from the cold. But if it was a hardy one, it is likely still alive. This article will help you determine if a plant is dead or alive still:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm