Meet my Little friend

[Dav4]

This is a Satsuki "eikan" I acquired 2 years ago this coming spring. It had been imported/bare rooted the previous winter. I've done a bit of work to it...light pruning this past spring, minor repositioning of some of the branches, and removal of 1/2 of the lowest left branch. It was growing straight up, I presume to fill in the empty space above it. I've started a new branch in that area. My hope is to clean it up/wire it out over the next week or two, then get it into a training pot this spring.

Dave

 

[Si Nguyen]

That's an awesome tree! Good find!

 

[Dav4]

Thanks Si. Unlike most of my other trees, I paid retail for this one.

 

[Dav4]

Well, it took maybe 15 hours of wiring, but I'm done. Flower buds will come off later this winter.

Dave

 

[bonsaiTOM]

As Si says - it is "an awesome tree" Dave. Hell of a wiring job. Done in one setting? No, you said 15 hrs. Nice !! I see your watch in pic #2, but how big is this bad boy? or How bad is this big boy? Will be interesting to see how you will pot it up.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

NICE! That's a honker of a trunk.

Out of curiosity, why will you wait until late winter to remove flower buds as opposed to removing them now as you wired?

 

[Dav4]

Bonsaitom, thanks for the nice words. The tree is about 28" tall, maybe 36" wide, and the base is almost 10" at the soil level. I figure that I might be exposing more rootage when the tree gets re-potted, so it might get a bit taller.

 

[Dav4]

Hey Brian, I'm glad you like My Little Friend. As far as flower bud removal, I guess I'm just being cautious more then anything else. In theory, removing the buds now would be fine, but it's been a fairly warm fall so far, the tree may not be completely dormant, and I'm reluctant to do any more pruning then I have to. I figure I've got another 4 months or so to get rid of them, so why rush. Happy Thanksgiving!

Dave

 

[Just Duane]

Looking good Dav4

 

[Dav4]

Thanks Duane, I'm happy with the way it's looking right now, too.

Dave

 

[digger714]

Absolutely beautiful tree. This tree is why i think azaleas make some of the best bonsai. Best of all worlds, nebari, trunks, foliage, and flowers. Nice job Dav. Would love to see more pics of it.

 

[Dav4]

Thanks Dig. I agree with everything you say about azaleas. I'll hopefully have photos this spring when it gets re-potted.

 

[Dav4]

re-potted today

Well, it was a very cold December and January here in N. Georgia...The second week of December brought record low temps and wind chills near zero. Despite placing my azaleas up against the house and providing a windbreak, the foliage on the this tree took a beating. Lots of brown, discolored leaves.... Still, the majority of foliage remained a healthy green.

I anticipated re-potting my azaleas sometime in mid/late March, but yesterday, after 10 days of above average temps, I noticed the buds were beginning to move. Sooooo...it's now in a mica bonsai pot. I have a large chinese pot that I could have squeezed it into, but I opted for the larger mica pot for now.

 

[art-rodriguez]

azalea

what an excellent tree Dav4 !
i really like how the trunk at the base seems to twist.
may i ask where you acquired it ?

 

[Dav4]

Thanks, Art. This is an azalea that was imported by New England Bonsai Gardens. I haven't been to NEBG in several years, but they routinely had excellent stock, imported or collected, at what I consider to be quite reasonable prices. I know they ship, too.

Dave

 

[Dav4]

pot suggestions?

So, I'm intersted in pot suggestions for this tree. The tree, generally speaking, has white flowers, with occassional pinks thrown in. I'm honestly more interested in the tree's image when not in flower...personally, I'm thinking unglazed, probably a rectangle. I'm going to be limited in what I can find sizewise for this one...the mica pot it sits in is rim to rim 23" wide and 6.5" tall. Feel free to post images of individual pots or virts with the tree if you like. Have fun!

 

[october]

Dave.. Wow,,, I hadn't noticed this one before.. This one is outstanding... As far as the silhouette goes.. are you planning to grow out that middle section on the left where there is some space...or are you going to leave it sort of as is.. Either way, this tree is stunning... The trunk is incredible..

 

[Dav4]

Hey, Rob. I'm planning on increasing the density of the canopy on the left by alot...I'm going to let the lowest left branch and first back left branch thicken/lengthen. I'm also starting a new branch above that low one on that first outside curve. I'm glad you like it.

Dave

 

[Dav4]

I am considering this pot. The dimensions are 21" by 16" by 6.75", so it should be large enough. What do you think?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I am considering this pot. The dimensions are 21" by 16" by 6.75", so it should be large enough. What do you think?

Personally, I far prefer azaleas in glazed pots...although I know they're frequently shown in unglazed. I think you could do unglazed if it was less ornate than this one, or glazed and ornate like this one. Here are a few examples that I'd consider if it was my tree...

http://www.tokoname.or.jp/bonsai/gallery/65f1.htm
http://www.tokoname.or.jp/bonsai/gallery/68f7.htm
http://www.tokoname.or.jp/bonsai/gallery/76f3.htm

Any rate, it's a fine tree, and I'm sure it's a site in bloom!