We don't know your zone so can't really tell you if it will come back. Up here in zone 7A northern VA, these can even come back some years, so I would expect in Georgia (but what zone?) it might. New growth would come from below ground level, as I said in a previous post. If stalks are green then they might also shoot out, but if they feel dry and crispy, then no. You could cut it back from the top inch-by-inch to see if there's any life in the stalk. If it were me, I'd just cut it to the ground ... or remove it entirely and plant something reliably hardy and evergreen.

What a story, ohsoblue. I've also had a crazy season. I had a bluebird box in my backyard with no activity, so I put up another bluebird box out of sight on the side yard. Chickadees started nesting there and there was a beautifully built nest of green moss. I couldn't see inside the nest to see if there were any eggs, but soon it didn't matter. We were out working in the yard and there was a lot of commotion amongst the birds. The chickadee was trying to fight off the bluebirds for her nest and kept on trying and trying. The male bluebird actually took over the nest and built his own for his ladybird. So then by the next day when I checked there was a bluebird nest on top of the neatly built moss nest. This is the box where there are five nestling bluebirds about to fledge any day. So then the chickadee went to be bluebird box in the backyard and built another nest and laid eggs quite quickly. Another bluebird pair kept going back to this box and sitting on it, watching over it, etc. So I begged my hubby to put up another nest box in the front yard and maybe they'd find it and use it. So we got the other house up and eventually they found it and it took about a month for Mr. BB to convince the timid ladybird to take it, but I checked last week and there was 2 eggs. I checked again yesterday after getting back into town and there were 5 bb eggs and 1 chickadee egg, which I removed because I didn't want there to be any problems with the chickadees again.v The bluebirds are watching over this box and seem to be very comfortable and I haven't seen any sign of chickadees in this nest again, but I'll keep checking. Do not give up hope because it took the bluebirds a number of weeks to decide to build in the new nest box in the front yard, but they are doing very well so far. I'm anxious to see if there are any chickadee eggs in the first nest the bluebirds built on top of that one. I'm very surprised that the bluebirds did that.

Awwwww...how sad. It's so good of you to try. Thank you for that. Let us know how it goes.~~Angie

I would like to update my case. The HOSP made one more attempt (when the wounded BB baby was still alive, but seemed could not compete for food), but that time I noticed that BB parents behaved strange and hesitated to enter the house, though they did not sound very concerned. Just in case I approached the house and stuck my finger in, as soon as I puled it out, the HOSP male flew out and I even touched him, BB parents chased him away. If I knew it before I could catch him. I checked the BB babies and they were fine but scared. I was sure that day the HOSP would not return, The next morning, 2 days later after the first HOSP attack, I found the wounded BB dead and the BB female tried to carry him out. I made her leave the house, took out and disposed the dead BB (smell was already bad). I decided to exploit the smartness of the HOSP against him. As I mentioned he leaned that the spooker was not dangerous, and fishing line was also useless against him. I opened the front wall and left it open to serve as a perch site. Instead I attached two-entry patch and stuck it with a scotch tape. I was certain that the HOSP would be too smart to ignore the sudden transformation of the BB house. Besides the house started looking more scary, like having two big eyes. The other thing I pursued with this transformation is to have emergency exit or entrance, since the HOSP would not be able to block the both holes at the same time. With the 2 holes there was more light inside and I could check the nestlings without opening the door. At first the BB parents were confused, but shortly they figured out their babies were still inside and doing well. As the result I have not seen the HOSP around anymore, the BB parents became more defensive and the three BB babies have fledged yesterday. Now I need an advice or opinion: a) I take the BB house down until I significantly reduce HOSP population. Actually the HOSP infestation was not too bad first, but then numerous young HOSPs fledged from the neighbors house and the area became heavily infested. That house is like the HOSP farm, and at the same time HOSPs would almost never seat on my roof. b) I keep the BB house with the transformed front wall, c) I restore the house to its original shape, where I can set up a trap as needed. Thanks. This post was edited by stal14 on Wed, Jul 2, 14 at 11:24