Dwarf Rhodie
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CWTurner
Omono
Funny you should say that as I have two landscape and 2-3 collected Azalea that did the same thing for me this year. Looked fine thoughout most of the winter, browned up in late March early April. I believe all are dead but will give them a month or two to push new shots before giving up.
Aside from that late freeze, its been a mild winter here. Maybe Rhodo's and Azalea need extra water in mild winter? I didn't do much watering this year.
Fingers crossed for both of us.
Leo in N E Illinois
The Professor
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Drying leaves are not a good sign, if they were just turning yellow and falloing off, I wouldn't worry, but staying green and drying out is not a good sign. Your roots may be dead.
Not much you can do but keep it moist and wait a couple months. If no growth by end of June - its definitely dead.
Definitely - dehydration during winter is possible. Any repotting or other activity could have killed enough roots. Drying out kills new root tips, death can set in as soon as humidity drops.
I have a love-hate with Satsuki azaleas. About 10 years ago I started with 12 different whips. Today, I have 3 left. I think I can assign a cause of death to each of them, I pretty much treated them the same, grew them in the same spots, but for some I repotted t0o late in season, or too soon,. One was lost to drying out in winter. One was hard pruned at the wrong time of year, didn't harden off before autumn frosts. And the list goes on. The survivors are starting to look pretty cool. But they can, and do suddenly turn up their toes if you don't handle them right. They are "easy", but not particularly forgiving.
Potting media and the water you use is important, and will determine how well they survive the mechanical things we do to them. Death rate slowed considerably when I settled on a blend of perlite, kanuma, and a little pine bark. And topped with a thin layer of sphagnum moss. I also make a point of watering them with collected rain water as often as possible. Our tap water is medium in terms of total alkalinity, which is not ideal, but will work when nothing else is available. If you have soft, low alkalinity water at all times, you can grow azaleas in just about any mix as long as it is not crushed limestone. BUT, if you have water with a lot of dissolved calcium (medium or high total alkalinity) then you must use an acidic potting mix and try to use rain water as often as possible. Many potting mixes will work, but you have to eventually find the mix that works with your water quality and watering habits. There is no "one size fits all". Key for me was using rain water as often as possible. I would say about 75% of the year they get rain water. Usually they get tap water no more than once or twice a week, Rain water in between. (actually any low alkalinity water will do, distilled, RO, deionized, or rain water) With distilled and RO water, you need to add back a little fertilizer, or you can leach out the plants and get chlorosis.
That is why the nursery trade grows azaleas in peat moss. You can use high alkalinity water with peat moss, and the plants will live long enough to be saleable at the nurseries. Not a long term acceptable mix, because when the peat moss has all its calcium bonding sites exhausted, it will become as alkaline as the tap water being used. But it will work long enough to get plants saleable. Then it will be up to the new owner to plant them in a better media.
Not much you can do but keep it moist and wait a couple months. If no growth by end of June - its definitely dead.
Definitely - dehydration during winter is possible. Any repotting or other activity could have killed enough roots. Drying out kills new root tips, death can set in as soon as humidity drops.
I have a love-hate with Satsuki azaleas. About 10 years ago I started with 12 different whips. Today, I have 3 left. I think I can assign a cause of death to each of them, I pretty much treated them the same, grew them in the same spots, but for some I repotted t0o late in season, or too soon,. One was lost to drying out in winter. One was hard pruned at the wrong time of year, didn't harden off before autumn frosts. And the list goes on. The survivors are starting to look pretty cool. But they can, and do suddenly turn up their toes if you don't handle them right. They are "easy", but not particularly forgiving.
Potting media and the water you use is important, and will determine how well they survive the mechanical things we do to them. Death rate slowed considerably when I settled on a blend of perlite, kanuma, and a little pine bark. And topped with a thin layer of sphagnum moss. I also make a point of watering them with collected rain water as often as possible. Our tap water is medium in terms of total alkalinity, which is not ideal, but will work when nothing else is available. If you have soft, low alkalinity water at all times, you can grow azaleas in just about any mix as long as it is not crushed limestone. BUT, if you have water with a lot of dissolved calcium (medium or high total alkalinity) then you must use an acidic potting mix and try to use rain water as often as possible. Many potting mixes will work, but you have to eventually find the mix that works with your water quality and watering habits. There is no "one size fits all". Key for me was using rain water as often as possible. I would say about 75% of the year they get rain water. Usually they get tap water no more than once or twice a week, Rain water in between. (actually any low alkalinity water will do, distilled, RO, deionized, or rain water) With distilled and RO water, you need to add back a little fertilizer, or you can leach out the plants and get chlorosis.
That is why the nursery trade grows azaleas in peat moss. You can use high alkalinity water with peat moss, and the plants will live long enough to be saleable at the nurseries. Not a long term acceptable mix, because when the peat moss has all its calcium bonding sites exhausted, it will become as alkaline as the tap water being used. But it will work long enough to get plants saleable. Then it will be up to the new owner to plant them in a better media.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
I took those two large ones here last year and they back budded and did great. This past Winter was mild and I kept them both wind protected in filtered sun, damp not wet. One died... No clue but I can certainly say not all live...
I do severe cuts, leave little root and it seems to work better then "nicey" handling on Azalea. Either way though there is no way to expect 100 percent success. You mentioned water being chlorinated - if you can drink it won't hurt your plants, serious. You also mentioned a fertilizer with "acidic" qualities - Although I have never used it I would suggest at most one dose per season unless you can verify the soil they were in was far more acidic then current and slowly break away from it. I never found anything that made a difference except a handful of peat added to any substrate mix... Could be just me but I doubt it.
Grimmy
About the beginning of May I decided nothing to loose as he was looking like a goner.
I bare rooted and power-washed the crap out of it and stuck it in 100% oil dry. Do or die I thought.
We stared at each other for a month and it started to show some life in June.
Quite a few new buds now and looking like it may live.
I'm confused/wondering about the buds which look like flower buds on what's left of last years growth.
Seems late... or early for these now? Is is due to the tree simply being way behind on it's schedule and this was to be spring flowers? Surely not next years buds yet.
Hope they pop a few flowers to try and tell what variety it is. Learning patience...
The second pic is the new growth.
I bare rooted and power-washed the crap out of it and stuck it in 100% oil dry. Do or die I thought.
We stared at each other for a month and it started to show some life in June.
Quite a few new buds now and looking like it may live.
I'm confused/wondering about the buds which look like flower buds on what's left of last years growth.
Seems late... or early for these now? Is is due to the tree simply being way behind on it's schedule and this was to be spring flowers? Surely not next years buds yet.
Hope they pop a few flowers to try and tell what variety it is. Learning patience...
The second pic is the new growth.
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0soyoung
Imperial Masterpiece
Those are next year's flower buds. Vegetative buds are relatively thinner.
There are an enormous number of species in the rhododendron family and much variation in exactly when flower buds are set and when they break/bloom. I have many miniature and large landscape rhodies and azaleas that set bud a bit more than a month ago. I have others that don't set flower buds until sometime after September and others that are in between.
- If you want flowers, you must do all your pruning before terminal bud set (in your case, it means right after blooms fade).
- If you don't want flowers, pluck those fat buds at branch tips or continue pruning/shaping your plant.
Thanks Oso.
May not be able to live w/that 30 inch wingspan for another year just to see flowers. Winter protection is gonna be a first time experience for me and all my trees too. Probably cut back as late as possible. Leaving it alone for now as it is just coming back from the grave.
Thanks. Was hoping since it had no flowers yet this year...
May not be able to live w/that 30 inch wingspan for another year just to see flowers. Winter protection is gonna be a first time experience for me and all my trees too. Probably cut back as late as possible. Leaving it alone for now as it is just coming back from the grave.
Thanks. Was hoping since it had no flowers yet this year...
Survived the year with good late summer growth and looking great after the last ditch CPR attempt.
Flower buds are set so I hope to further determine the species this spring and now it's tucked away for a nice winter hibernation.
Practicing my photography skills or lack of with my daughters camera. I do better with my moto x phone most of the time.
Flower buds are set so I hope to further determine the species this spring and now it's tucked away for a nice winter hibernation.
Practicing my photography skills or lack of with my daughters camera. I do better with my moto x phone most of the time.
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
Thought I'd post a follow up on this now little tree a bit over a year after I got it. I had wrote it off for dead a year ago. It's still ugly and don't know what I'm gonna do with it other than try to get the buds and branches closer to the trunk.
I have to believe the way too late bare root repot last year saved it. I put it in 100% Napa and was pleasantly surprised with the new radial roots on this February's too early repot. It's really bounced back from near death last year. Thought I had a root pic but... now in lava, napa mix w/some bark too.
Found out it is a Ramapo Rhodi. Flowered in April and last pic is yesterday.
Thanks to all who offered advice! We did it
Love to read any further suggestions/advice.
I have to believe the way too late bare root repot last year saved it. I put it in 100% Napa and was pleasantly surprised with the new radial roots on this February's too early repot. It's really bounced back from near death last year. Thought I had a root pic but... now in lava, napa mix w/some bark too.
Found out it is a Ramapo Rhodi. Flowered in April and last pic is yesterday.
Thanks to all who offered advice! We did it
Love to read any further suggestions/advice.
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GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Looks happy!
Grimmy
Grimmy
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
After experimenting with several Rhodes and many Azalea potted I found that by letting them get full East/West light all Winter and then moving them to a shaded area while they bloom and leaving them there for the Summer works best. After blooms are done they all grow crazy. If I leave them in the Sun they hate it in the Summer and if left in the shade during the Winter they often do not survive. If they do survive I trash them anyways because they really look bad...
I also find it does not seem to matter for landscape plants in the ground BUT here they ALL eventually get a black fungus in the ground. I am pretty certain it is because they cannot be moved - pulled all that were planted here when we moved in. I have shown several neighbors and many have removed them over the last couple of years here.
I don't see either being good in landscape here but properly cared for in pots they are damn nice plants.
Grimmy
MountainExplorer
Mame
I got a nice dwarf also, I have had it all summer and hopefully, crossing fingers it survives 
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Pretty damn certain it will respond with a lot of new growth if you do. I have one that has gone from chopped back to 6 inches or so and is now tethered in a grow pot at a minimum of 30 inches wide. Hoping to get mine to a 3 foot or so waterfall cascade of flora this Spring. No plans for a true Bonsai atm but hey who knows?
Grimmy
Leo in N E Illinois
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Rampo is a nice Rhododendron. Glad yours has hung in there. I've seen magnificent landscape specimens of Rampo on the east side 'burbs of Cleveland. No black fungus noted.
@GrimLore - your issues with black fungus on azalea and Rhodies in the ground are likely a local micro climate issue, not necessarily a problem everywhere. Parts of Ohio are very good hardy Rhododendron country.
I do keep mine rather shaded all summer. I only have 3 Satsuki and 4 florist type R simsii hybrids.
@GrimLore - your issues with black fungus on azalea and Rhodies in the ground are likely a local micro climate issue, not necessarily a problem everywhere. Parts of Ohio are very good hardy Rhododendron country.
I do keep mine rather shaded all summer. I only have 3 Satsuki and 4 florist type R simsii hybrids.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
It is a lack of care honest. As with a lot of Landscape plants in our area people don't trim/thin things out as often as they should. Low light with no air flow, clay soil, covered with a ton of mulch is common - perfect conditions for fungal issues.
I keep them potted, off the ground, shaded in Summer, with careful attention to any problems as they like being damp but it rarely causes problems. They are all nice plants though and to me worth the effort
Grimmy
Moved into a bit more shade today and have a wintering spot in mind where it will get morning and later afternoon sun for winter.
It has double the flower buds this year and can't wait till next spring's show. After that I need to make decisions about some of the crazy branches. I love the trunk but above that best hidden by foliage at this point.
It's a survivor, that's for sure
It has double the flower buds this year and can't wait till next spring's show. After that I need to make decisions about some of the crazy branches. I love the trunk but above that best hidden by foliage at this point.
It's a survivor, that's for sure
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
It's a survivor, that's for sure
Good to hear and when it goes into Full Healthy growth next Spring and Summer you are going to be like WTF? Once they establish it is pretty wild. I have some photos of one train wreck I took to save in April 2016( brought it home and chopped all but 5 inches of growth off), October 2016, and today if you want and idea of actual impact good acclimation does.
Grimmy
