Will croton plants recover from a freeze?

Question: I just moved to southwest Florida, Venice to be exact, and we promptly had several frosts. My croton plants froze and their leaves have turned brown. Can I cut them off and allow for regrowth even though it is January?

Answer: Yes, you may remove the leaves. We are located in St. Petersburg, Florida. Last year we had freezing temperatures for 12 days in a row. Highly unusual for the area. My croton petra, croton mammy and croton gold dust took a beating. We thought for sure they were dead. At the time we removed the dead leaves and stems and waited. After a few months of warm weather they return to good health.

Good luck

Steve