Help with Azalea development and maybe I.D.

[Bonsaipadawan]

Hello all,

I bought this azalea from a private seller in Florida. I like the material but I am a bit lost with it as I am relatively new to bonsai and I am unsure what my next steps really should be. The seller told me this azalea is girards crimson but a few have told me they don't think it is. There has also been some saying my tree is a decideous azalea a couple others saying evergreen. That being said one key element in my thoughts as to why it might be evergreen is that when it went from Florida to NYC in April it dropped its foliage due to the shock from cold it wasn't acclimated to. This winter the tree retained foliage compared to last winter as well when compared to how much leaf drop my satsukis experienced. The most compelling argument from folks on here whose opinions I value for it being decideous is straight growth and the internodal length. Either way I am unsure how to proceed no matter what category it falls into.

I will be including photos from last summer, and this winter. As well as one photo of its flowers. I'd love some ideas on what to do. Should I trim back some of the really thick long branches and start developing new and smaller shoots and start working toward developing a better form or structure? I did put it into a larger container because I feel like I'd like for it to grow a little taller but I am not certianm also I think that having it in a grow bag will allow more vigorous growth allowing me more options here for example more energy for it to bounce back if I do a hard structural prune. What would you all do what do you all think?

 

[jradics]

that is definitely an evergreen azalea. Unless proven otherwise, believe the Girards Crimson. Blooms will confirm in a month or so

 

[jradics]

that is definitely an evergreen azalea. Unless proven otherwise, believe the Girards Crimson. Blooms will confirm in a month or so

Just out of curiousity, what did you pay? I work at a large wholesale nursery where we have hundreds of Azaleas in 3gal cans for about $15. its hard not to pick through them and bring home the pre bonsai. But I did do just that on some gnarly Quince today

 

[R0b]

I assume the sparse leaf pictures are taken now. Based on last summer pict the tree is vigorous so I would prune now if you don’t want to repot.

Satsuki Azalea Bonsai

Satsuki azalea bonsai—Rhododendron indicum—are as iconic as a Japanese maple or Japanese black pine bonsai. Satsuki azalea flowers can offer any color and combination of stripes and spots. Because of its flowering beauty and smooth, muscular-looking trunk, the Satsuki azalea is highly prized in...

bonsaimirai.com

In general search for content by Peter Warren he is one (if not the) Western Satsuki specialists.

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

I forgot to include a photo of its flowers

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

Just out of curiousity, what did you pay? I work at a large wholesale nursery where we have hundreds of Azaleas in 3gal cans for about $15. its hard not to pick through them and bring home the pre bonsai. But I did do just that on some gnarly Quince today

I spent way too much on this specimen without knowing it's genetics but it does have a pretty thick trunk with no wire scars. The price of the azalea and the shipping made it expensive. I bought it via auction.

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

Yeah I dont think I get $15 3-gal Girards or deciduous azaleas - 1 gal typically runs around 20 here in eastern MA. If OP is in NYC I doubt those prices are easily found. My burlap bagged deciduous ran me about $70 at 30% off and that one was maybe 3-4’ high with a ~4” trunk base (excluding root spread). Just a price point reference.

 

[Underdog]

Here are a couple of mine. You can cut a healthy one back to a bare trunk if you wanted to start over w/branching.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

My thoughts. Your tree is a learning tree make the most,out of it.

Pick a line you can bend and a lateral that can also be bent. Cut the rest flush and cut paste.

Keep all the green possible. Maximize what’s left. You could cut it all off… but that’s cruising for a bruising…. Just check out how many of the 5yr azalea contest entrants who crashed and burned if you are curious about what cut backs work best on nursery type trees.

Good Luck!
cheers
DSD sends

 

[jradics]

Yeah I dont think I get $15 3-gal Girards or deciduous azaleas - 1 gal typically runs around 20 here in eastern MA. If OP is in NYC I doubt those prices are easily found. My burlap bagged deciduous ran me about $70 at 30% off and that one was maybe 3-4’ high with a ~4” trunk base (excluding root spread). Just a price point reference.

here in atlanta a 3gal, 3ft deciduous azalea is $40 retail.

 

[jradics]

Here are a couple of mine. You can cut a healthy one back to a bare trunk if you wanted to start over w/branching.
View attachment 474695

View attachment 474696

many of the commercial growers in Fla stick 3 or 4 plantlets in a 3gal can and wham... full plant in 6 months.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

here in atlanta a 3gal, 3ft deciduous azalea is $40 retail.

I paid $42 for this one about two weeks ago.

 

[Underdog]

Yes, both of these were in the same 1 gal.

 

[Srt8madness]

You guys would have gone nuts when I was buying Satsukis 1gals for $5 and 3 gals for $9 last summer. It was such a hot summer that I had a high casualty rate though. Some are still hanging on!

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

Finding satsukis in nyc is pretty hard. The local mom and pop nurseries don't have any and neither do the big box stores at least that I've seen this far. I haven't seem anything like my azalea locally. I am not looking hard but still I've been around enough nurseries locally to see it's hard to find in nyc.

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

Here are a couple of mine. You can cut a healthy one back to a bare trunk if you wanted to start over w/branching.
View attachment 474695

View attachment 474696

Ah did you have two in one pot here when you bought it? I have some like that and I am not sure when will be a good time to separate them. P

 

[Ugo]

Finding satsukis in nyc is pretty hard. The local mom and pop nurseries don't have any and neither do the big box stores at least that I've seen this far. I haven't seem anything like my azalea locally. I am not looking hard but still I've been around enough nurseries locally to see it's hard to find in nyc.

Hi!

Just saying because I was there 2 weeks ago but New England bonsai has some very nice mature specimens and just received whips if Im not mistaken.

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

were you there to pick up some Boon mix? I still haven’t gotten mine - waiting on the next Kaikou meeting

 

[Bonsaipadawan]

My thoughts. Your tree is a learning tree make the most,out of it.

Pick a line you can bend and a lateral that can also be bent. Cut the rest flush and cut paste.

Keep all the green possible. Maximize what’s left. You could cut it all off… but that’s cruising for a bruising…. Just check out how many of the 5yr azalea contest entrants who crashed and burned if you are curious about what cut backs work best on nursery type trees.

Good Luck!
cheers
DSD sends

Thank you for pointing me in the direction of the 5yr contest I have a lot of raw azalea stock that I have been wondering what to do with. I have been thinking about doing hard pruning on some of them just curious I've heard the best time to repot an azalea is after it flowes is it the same with pruning?

 

[FreshAirSunshine]

Thank you for pointing me in the direction of the 5yr contest I have a lot of raw azalea stock that I have been wondering what to do with. I have been thinking about doing hard pruning on some of them just curious I've heard the best time to repot an azalea is after it flowes is it the same with pruning?

You’ll want to be specific of what type of azalea you’re talking about but if it’s traditional satsuki I’d point you towards Satsuki Azalea Bonsai: A fundamental study by Rick Garcia. He’s a member here but I’ve forgotten his tag.