Hi, Tettletop20--I've grown these for several years. The top part of your plant appears to be frost damaged and the growth from the bottom is the new growth from the roots. I would scratch the bark on the dead branches, going down the plant toward the new growth. Anything that scratches brown with no hint of green you can cut off. When the branch shows green after you scratch the bark, this is living tissue and you shouldn't cut any further. I wouldn't prune this plant in the fall. Wait until you see new growth in the spring just as you have now and repeat this process, cutting away any dead branches from the winter. I would mulch the roots in the fall to protect them from freezing and frost cloth wouldn't hurt on really cold nights to help protect the branches. Good luck with your powder puff!

Oh thank you so much for your response! We did have quite a few instances of frost this past winter and I should have looked in to this plant before then. I am so sad it won't be as beautiful as it was last summer, but maybe in time we'll get there. I will take your advice and do the scratching and see what is alive still.

Thanks again!