Azalea dumped in this field?

Aiki_Joker

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Hey everyone. I was walking the other day here in Scotland and found a bunch of plants dumped in a field left to rot. This one has buds on it and looks like a Rhododendron but smaller leaves. Is it an azalea? It has a shallow root ball, looks like it's just been ripped out and chucked away by the council here last season!20180203_121020.jpg???
20180203_121026.jpg
Are these buds or flowers?
Appreciate any info :)
 

Stan Kengai

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This is not like any azalea I've ever seen. Not that it couldn't be some azalea or rhododendron variety. Growth habit seems similar to azalea. but the leaves are unusual compared to what we see in the States. Also, azaleas typically have false leaves protecting the flower buds. The buds do look like flower buds. Concerning the root pad, azaleas and rhododendrons have shallow root systems when grown in the ground. So if it is one of those, you're still in good shape.

Keep us posted on this plant. It looks very intriguing.
 
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Aiki_Joker

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This is not like any azalea I've ever seen. Not that it couldn't be some azalea or rhododendron variety. Growth habit seems similar to azalea. but the leaves are unusual compared to what we see in the States. Also, azaleas tpically have false leaves protecting the flower buds. The buds do look like flower buds. Concerning the root pad, azaleas and rhododendrons have shallow root systems when grown in the ground. So if it is one of those, you're still in good shape.

Keep us posted on this plant. It looks very intriguing.
Many thanks Stan. I'm thinking of lifting this just to see what happens to these huge buds! Will keep this updated. This plant was covered in a foot of snow a month ago. It was freezing here. These buds must have frozen ?
 

Aiki_Joker

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This is what I thought. Maybe this is a Camelia (?). Have to lift this and see, maybe they will drop if I stress it even more though :0/
 

M. Frary

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I've seen these before but for the life of me I can't remember what it is exactly.
 

Aiki_Joker

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Ah a dwarf, nice! Will keep this thread updated on the flowers if they come through I have this collected and planted now.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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I would bet this is Rhododendron 'PJM' or similar hybrid. I think it is considered a rhodie because the leaves are leathery and the buds actually are a short truss of more than one flower.
'PJM' is very winter hardy. Attractive clear, fairly intense violet-pink-purple flowers. Not often seen as bonsai, but would be a possible candidate for medium to larger size bonsai. Branching will likely be a bit coarse, rather than fine twigs.
 

rockm

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It's a rhodie, not a camellia or anything else. Not really worth the trouble for bonsai. Thin trunks, big leaves and flowers, coarse branching...
 

plant_dr

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Even if its not a great bonsai candidate, good score on getting a free plant! You can enjoy it for what it is. Hope it was in a spot you had permission to collect. Sounds kind of like it was, but it's nice to be sure.;)
 
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looks like a camelia to me buds are also about the right size for this time of the year on camelias in the midlands dig it up and nurture it, a great find
 

Aiki_Joker

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Even if its not a great bonsai candidate, good score on getting a free plant! You can enjoy it for what it is. Hope it was in a spot you had permission to collect. Sounds kind of like it was, but it's nice to be sure.;)

Indeed. I couldnt believe it. Its in the ground and will be moved later on this year to my new place for sure. Dumped with a load of conifers from a garden clearing exercise last year. Not a registered dumping site for sure. Even though this is organic material still illegal to dump this stuff here. I'll consider it a clean up operation ha ha ha. Same estate I collected a recent stump from.
 

Aiki_Joker

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It's a rhodie, not a camellia or anything else. Not really worth the trouble for bonsai. Thin trunks, big leaves and flowers, coarse branching...
Leaves are quite small for a rhodie but ye, branching is not naturally fine. Would have to grow much bigger to get the scale. Will grow it out over the next few decades if we both survive and see if it is applicable at anytime.
 
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Aiki_Joker

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looks like a camelia to me buds are also about the right size for this time of the year on camelias in the midlands dig it up and nurture it, a great find
Single buds with palmate leaf structure around them. Not a multiple bud in sight. Will update thread with open flowers if they come out and attempt I.D. I probably won't be here but will get the pictures.
 

Aiki_Joker

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Looks like dwarf rhododendron stunning dark red colour. Four flowers per bud.

Is dead heading and cutting back to vidible buds recommended? Should have enough roots to bounce back. Not touched them.

If this will be a small tree in a few years I reckon I'll have to lose most of that ramification right?20180514_113753.jpg

Great flowers!
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Leo in N E Illinois

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@Aiki_Joker
Really nice color, and the color of the leaves is a nice contrast. I don't think you necessarily have to eliminate ramification, not if you plan your moves well. What size are you planning on bringing this tree to? Myself I would not reduce the size by much, if it were mine, I'd keep it at least 66 to 75 % of its current height. In which case you could keep the bulk of the current ramification. Rhodies and azalea trunks do increase in diameter even while growing in pots. It is the total surface area of leaves that contribute to thickening the trunk, so keep lots of branches until the trunk is the diameter you want. To thicken a trunk branches don't have to be long if they are well ramified. So you can keep a lot of what is there.

Take photos with a plain white background, hang a sheet or stand up a couple pieces of cardboard, to get a neutral background so it is easier to see what is going on, and make plans from those images.

Overall this is a nice tree, I'd enjoy having it on my bench to figure out how to bring it into a ''bonsai tree''. Very nice display of flowers. Key, what ever design you choose, think about how it would look with flowers, go for designs where you can let the bush bloom out fully. Make your design a good ''platform'' for the flower show.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Looking at earlier photos, perhaps a 3 trunk group or clump style might work. Or even a 5 trunk clump, each trunk would have to be trained to look more tree like. Heights would have to vary, with some trunks being 2 thirds the height of the main, and the smallest 1 or 2 trunks being one third the height of the main tree.

Obviously if you went for a single trunk, the largest diameter trunk would be the obvious choice.
Yes, in this case, a lot would end up on the compost heap, or in a bed or tray as cuttings to be rooted. They do root moderately easily, for what it is worth.
 

GrimLore

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Great flowers!

Overall this is a nice tree, I'd enjoy having it on my bench to figure out how to bring it into a ''bonsai tree''. Very nice display of flowers. Key, what ever design you choose, think about how it would look with flowers, go for designs where you can let the bush bloom out fully. Make your design a good ''platform'' for the flower show.

In the past I have had very good experiences transforming smaller leaf Rhodes in few short seasons to wonderful Spring show Cascades - one was 3 foot from the lip of the pot :p

Grimmy
 
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