Beginner Gardening: Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis), 1 by yeye5

yeye5 wrote:
I am looking for care instructions for this plant which I purchased this fall and planted in a sunny spot. When I got it, it had some dry spots but overall looked happy and healthy. I covered it during the frosts we've had. It is a small plant to start with but it looks to have lost 1/3 its size by drying up entire branches with dry foliage. What am I doing or not doing to make this plant so stressed? I did cut back the dry pieces (I maybe should have waited but I only recently learned that waiting for spring is the recommendation for other plants that I also cut back).
I don't know if this fact is relevant but it was very rootbound when I planted it. I tried to loosen up the root ball without damaging the roots.
I am posting a picture of it when I first got it and then I'll run outside and take a few pictures of it as it looks now. Thanks in advance for help!