Is my azalea dying?!? :(

[benw3790]

I noticed my little azalea started looking a little different the past few weeks so I decided to take another look and noticed these black spots.. I'm scared to death cause I'm really close to this plant, it took me a while to figure out an initial styling and it was one of the first trees I bought when I began bonsai. I feel like it has a really bright future and I hope it's not dying! And if it is, can I save it? I've had since summer 2012 and I haven't done anything different with it but it is getting cold here but not freezing. I have it sitting on the ground. Zone 7b

 

[A Random User]

I would say remove the leaves with the problem and see if it continues,
But seeing that you don't have many leaves to begin with...

If you are as attached to the tree as you say you are, I would suggest
either not removing as much of your plant's foliage, or figure out why
your tree is unhappy and has no leaves...

If not, a couple of black spots on a few leaves will be the least of your
worries.

 

[Martin Sweeney]

Ben,

Bring it to the BSOC Meeting today and we will take a look at it. I do not think it is dying.

Regards,
Martin

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Azaleas shed older leaves in the fall. It might have a little black spot, but it's not nearly a bad on azaleas as roses. A light fungicide treatment won't hurt, but it looks otherwise healthy...if not a little sparse.

 

[jk_lewis]

It's just the time of year. Remove the "bad" leaves if they bother you.

 

[benw3790]

Thanks for all the info everyone. It just started looking a little pale.. When I first got it I thinned it out a lot and root pruned it but it's been totally healthy for a year and then this past summer I finally styled it to what you see here, but since it started getting a little colder the past couple weeks, the leaves started looking a little more pale. I was thinking a fungicide was in order too maybe. But I am not sure what was causing this. I'll cut the ones with the spots for now and see how it goes. Might bring it with me to the meeting today martin. Also, at the time of styling I did not have proper bonsai wire so I used copper wire from an arts store. The aire actually works perfectly but I think I may of heard that certain species may be "allergic" to copper. Could that have anything to do with it?

 

[Vance Wood]

Thanks for all the info everyone. It just started looking a little pale.. When I first got it I thinned it out a lot and root pruned it but it's been totally healthy for a year and then this past summer I finally styled it to what you see here, but since it started getting a little colder the past couple weeks, the leaves started looking a little more pale. I was thinking a fungicide was in order too maybe. But I am not sure what was causing this. I'll cut the ones with the spots for now and see how it goes. Might bring it with me to the meeting today martin. Also, at the time of styling I did not have proper bonsai wire so I used copper wire from an arts store. The aire actually works perfectly but I think I may of heard that certain species may be "allergic" to copper. Could that have anything to do with it?

That's a good point Azaleas do not do well with copper wire, neither do Cherry.

 

[benw3790]

That's a good point Azaleas do not do well with copper wire, neither do Cherry.

Thanks Vance!

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I use copper on all of my azaleas and have observed no ill effect. Copper wire is not toxic to plants. You do have to be careful and us the right size, azaleas are very thin-barked and it is easily damaged by trying to use a too large a wire.

John

 

[Vance Wood]

I use copper on all of my azaleas and have observed no ill effect. Copper wire is not toxic to plants. You do have to be careful and us the right size, azaleas are very thin-barked and it is easily damaged by trying to use a too large a wire.

John

I have always used Aluminum for everything except really large branches on Pine and other conifers. However: I remember in my early days that most sources out of Japan said do not use copper on Cherry trees and I thought Azaleas.

 

[A Random User]

I second, that Azaleas are not bothered by copper wire...