21 Degrees Last Night, and a Casualty......

  Last night the temp in Ocala dropped to 21 degrees.  The last time I saw a temp this low was in 2010, in January, that was 17 degrees.  Burr!
    My Turks Cap is a tropical plant, but an extremely hearty plant that has gone through all of the cold weather we have had, up until last night.  When I looked at the plant this morning, I could see all of the black/gray leaves.  I got scissors and proceded to defoliate all the dead leaves.  When I touched them the leaked a clear fluid onto my fingers.  The couple of the leaves that are still on the upper half of the tree were covered by ones I cut cut off.
    Tonight, and every cold night for the remainder of this  winter, I will baby the plant and bring it into the villa.  I think it will be ok, the trunk isn't squishy.  I believe the only reason it is ok, is because it is such a hearty, cold resilant plant.