Best retailer for Azalea pre-bonsai?

[daniel]

I would really like to find an azalea (love them!) pre bonsai that does not cost an arm and a leg. I don't mind waiting a few years for a trunk to develop. (I realize these are slow to develop, hence the cost.) Anyone want to give out a site? PM me privately if you want. Thanks!

Daniel

 

[rockm]

If you've got time

buy an azalea at Home Depot and plant it in the ground, wait ten years (or more). Probably not the advice you were looking for, but it's probably the least expensive thing to do. The vast majority of Pre bonsai azaleas in the U.S. are pretty much sourced from similar places, only some may have had some preliminary root and structural work done to them by the bonsai supplier--some of it done very badly depending on the source.

If you're after specialty-grown older azalea bonsai material, you will pay for it. Imports, as you probably know, are thousands. Even decent old domestic pre bonsai material will be in the high hundreds.

The best source for already grown out azalea material is old landscaping. If you know a professional (if you don't know one, it might be worth finding one) landscaper, you might ask if they need free help excavating old landscapes and/or have them look for older azalea plantings in their work and offer compensation...

 

[daniel]

buy an azalea at Home Depot and plant it in the ground, wait ten years (or more). Probably not the advice you were looking for, but it's probably the least expensive thing to do. The vast majority of Pre bonsai azaleas in the U.S. are pretty much sourced from similar places, only some may have had some preliminary root and structural work done to them by the bonsai supplier--some of it done very badly depending on the source.

If you're after specialty-grown older azalea bonsai material, you will pay for it. Imports, as you probably know, are thousands. Even decent old domestic pre bonsai material will be in the high hundreds.

The best source for already grown out azalea material is old landscaping. If you know a professional (if you don't know one, it might be worth finding one) landscaper, you might ask if they need free help excavating old landscapes and/or have them look for older azalea plantings in their work and offer compensation...

That's pretty much what I thought I was facing. However, I thought I'd ask and see if I was missing something (it happens often...)

Thanks!

Daniel

 

[Bonsai Nut]

You generally won't find satsuki azaleas at a Home Depot (though you might get lucky). If you are looking for chunky azalea trunks, I don't have a good source for you. If you are looking for beautiful (and rare) cultivars to grow into bonsai, I would recommend the Azalea Society of America's sources page.

 

[rockm]

Nut's suggestion is good, although...

Some of the wholesaler links on his azalea society pages show links to Home Depot as sellers...so it's six degrees of Home Depot--with apologies to Kevin Bacon

If you want Satsukis, you probably won't find them at HD. If you want Satsukis, you'd better have some kind of winter shelter for them if you live where there's snow...

 

[daniel]

Some of the wholesaler links on his azalea society pages show links to Home Depot as sellers...so it's six degrees of Home Depot--with apologies to Kevin Bacon

If you want Satsukis, you probably won't find them at HD. If you want Satsukis, you'd better have some kind of winter shelter for them if you live where there's snow...

I know I wouldn't find what I'm looking for at HD. I also have learned (the hard way in my formative years) that satsukis don't do well overwintering outside...

 

[Smoke]

The best source I know is Enchanted Gardens Nursery Before changing their name they used to be El Dorado Bonsai. Same city just a move up the road. Tatamori Gondo from Japan used to be the resident Azalea master. I have not been there in some years and have no idea what they still carry but do know that their web site has some blossoms and a little background about soil management for azalea's.

I would give Dolly Fasio a try and see what you find out.

 

[milehigh_7]

This might help

I was surfing around and came across this:

miniplantkingdom.com:
Azalea--We carry mostly Satsuki varieties that are primarily used for bonsai, as well as miniature and dwarf forms.


Pretty darn good prices as well.

 

[Dano]

Daniel - If you don't mine my asking, what is your budget? Is it $15 or $200? That can help us guide you in the right direction. Thanks

Dano

 

[reddog]

Telperion Farms

Telperion Farms:
They are associated with El Dorado in some way. Website not up to date but leave a message for Chris.
http://www.telperionfarms.com/contact info.htm

 

[daniel]

Daniel - If you don't mine my asking, what is your budget? Is it $15 or $200? That can help us guide you in the right direction. Thanks

Dano

Hey Dano,

Good question. I'd give anything a look up to $200. Maybe a little more if it's worth it. I'd like to try and stay under that cap. I know it's low for azaleas, but that's it.

Daniel