As the cold fronts moved farther south, the effects were obvious on some tropicals. Tender new growth, the result of warm weather, was injured but never fear, the plants will recover. As long as the plants are not damaged seriously, they will return to growing with many new branches developed below the injured area of the top. As I have mentioned several times, the highest growth controls the shoots below it. The term for this control is apical dominance.
Top growth produces an inhibiting chemical hormone to prevent all of the lower buds from growing.
As an example when you prune the top of a hedge, it stimulates the sides to grow and become more dense. Cool weather has caused St. Augustine grass to slow in growth and in some areas to turn brown. There are three species of this obnoxious weed. It is a perennial that grows from rhizomes and occasionally produces tubers. The leaf has scalloped edges with the petiole in the center.