Charleen... taking cuttings sounds like the way to go.. then you'll have a few strong..young..fresh plants to continue with.. cutting the root mass up will so damage the system of nutrient distribution up as to likely give a poorer grower next year..it would be like a severe freeze.. that killed roots on one side.. causing parts of the branching to grow poorly.. as you've already experienced from last winter.. with 25 stalks it wouldn't miss 10 of them.. even.. and likely make the mother plant healthier in the spring.. so much branching indicates there's a bunch of nutrients stored in the roots..and they were blasting out everywhere out of the "crown".. these were all the same plant...not dividing like a perennial
