They should come back from the base, especially the chiapensis. Protect the base of the plant upwards from 2 to 6 inches, depending on the height of the plant and the diameter of the trunk.

Vanhoutteis do toast easily, but slowly reemerge from the base after a month. They will look dead in a cold frame until true spring approaches, and then there will be near explosive growth if it was a robust plant.

You give me hope, Rich.

I'm sorry to hear that, Heathen, especially about the chiapensis! It's good to know that there is hope, though.

I'm worried about my leucantha. Betsy Clebsch warns about temps below 25F, and we've had 4 nights down to 23 & 24.

My 'Limelight', 'Indigo Spires', corrugata, among others, look terrible, but I hear they should eventually be fine.

Brenda

your indigo spires is suffering? Mine is great! :o) well, Rich has given me hope... the chiapensis and van houttei are against the house so were protected more that way, I covered them and they get sun first thing in the morning to warm them up... so I am crossing my fingers!

I've heard that a lot about the 'Indigo Spires' from folks here in CA, even in places that got colder than here! Uh-oh....*gulp*

Brenda

My Indigo is gone for the season.. I'm thinking I should prune and pile the leavings on top of the crown.... but then I might start the re-growth process too soon. What to do -- What to do?

Well, one thing I would not do is use the old trimmings and leaves of any plant as its own mulch. That would be a recipe for infection from plant pathogens like fungi, bacteria, viruses, and various microfauna.

Better to use hardwood bark, cocoa hulls, etc.

Oh Rich... I was meaning to make sort of a tent over the base with the cuttings until it warmed up and then take it away. But, I decided to leave it all alone anyway.

? for Rich: I have several of your Navajo Rose Salvias that are looking really bad. How are they in the cold?

I would leave the toasted tops on the plants until you are confident that the cold weather is over. This might be a week or a month or two, depending where you live. Then cut back to about a foot on van houttei, obviously shorted on chiapensis, but leave some of the stem attahed to the base because the base of each stem may produce new growth if the plants weren't completely frozen. Once new growth starts and is growing vigorously then prune out the remaining dead parts as you see fit. It can take months for some salvias to resprout after being frozen.

Salvia greggiis like Navajo Rose are woody shrubs, and the tender top stems can freeze off if not properly acclimated to cold. That does not indicate death, because new shoots will come from the nodes with friendlier weather. Woody sages like greggii and regla are semi-deciduous to deciduous.

Thanks, Rich. I'll be watching for the buds.