Lantern tree Thanks to the oneswho answered me great releif i can tell you I adore them the lantern trees that is

Yes -especially if you don't cut them back right now. Wait for new growth to start and then cut back to live wood.

We had to cut ours back hard after the winter of 2009-10 when the soil was frozen to a depth of over 6 inches for well over a month. In fact we cut it to the ground from around 7 foot. It regrew from the root and I'm hoping that as it snowed before it froze it might just keep going, otherwise it is the serious haircut again. As Bamboo says if the stems are alive leave until it starts to leaf up and only then remove any dead wood.

Like Moongrower, our large-ish Crinodendron was completely defoliated last winter, and then regrew from the base over the course of the last summer. All that new growth has now been defoliated too, and possibly killed back to the growund, again just like Moongrowers', so it sounds like we shall all have to keep fingers crossed that our plants have the strength to regrow again.

In any event, as Bamboo says, it's important to leave well alone now and wait to see what the new growing season brings. Regrowth can be slow and delayed (don't expect a great flush of spring growth) so patience is a virtue!