Firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis)

Hastings, FL(Zone 9a)

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!

Thumbnail by yeye5
Hastings, FL(Zone 9a)

Here is a picture I just took

Thumbnail by yeye5
Hastings, FL(Zone 9a)

and here is another to show how the branches broke. The branches at the bottom I didn't cut but the broke off or were almost broken off when I removed them.

Thumbnail by yeye5
Dublin, CA(Zone 9a)

If you loosened the roots up well it should bounce back once it gets into active growing season. The branches that dried up and died are probably lingering effects from the time it spent being rootbound, combined with a bit of transplant shock from when you planted it. It'll take some time before you see much top growth--plants always work on getting their roots established before they will do much growing, and winter is not a time when a lot of plants will actively grown anyway even if their roots are well established.

Hastings, FL(Zone 9a)

Thanks Ecrane! I can happily wait for it to do its thing. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't hindering it in some way.

Orlando, FL(Zone 9b)

when it grows, it should reward you with butterflies and possibly hummingbirds. and they stay in bloom most of the year.

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