Ko Kinsai Satsuki Azalea

[PaulH]

This is one of the few trees in my collection that I bought as a developed bonsai and didn't make myself. Imported from Japan and I've had it two years. Thinking of removing the bottom right branch. Agree?

 

[0soyoung]

Nope.

The presentation seems to emphasize very poor nebari and a trunk like a log (regardless of what the truth of it is, this is the impressions I get from the photo). Looking at the nebari and lower trunk makes me want to see how it appears along the line of sight where the right corner of the pot is front and center (or some where near there from the present front). Is the the nebari indeed better from (or near) that angle? Is the trunk any more interesting (or at least no less)? If so, that low branch could be very helpful (or possibly even vital) to the design with new front.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Sorry no advice...but that is lovely with loaded blooms.

 

[Djtommy]

I too would be hesitative to remove it, actually i feel that the left side is to heavy and could be shortened perhaps even remove the lower left branch.
Thats what i see from this picture, maybe not what you were hoping for..

Grtz

 

[sorce]

I could see opening it up a bit on top.

But I kind a like that branch .

I too, would like to see more angles.

Nice.

Sorce

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Kinsai is on my short list. Nice blooms, but those large petal blooms are dominant, and those branches need to be removed to retain the recessive characteristics of the "mother" plant's thin petals. Peter Warren advised once to never buy a kinsai out of bloom, because their tendency is to quickly revert.

I would keep that right branch and grow it longer, at least based on the one photo shared. Is there a front that shows a stronger base?

 

[rockm]

I agree on keeping the right branch. I'd also scrape off the surface moss for a better view of the nebari. That is the key to whole tree. The base will dictate the best position of the tree going forward and the angle that needs to be developed. That branch, as others have said, could be the next key in the design.

 

[PaulH]

I want to thank everyone for your input. I think you saw what I knew about this tree without me showing it. I plan to re pot this tree next spring with the right front corner being the new front as shown in the new photo. Brian,you're right, the throw back branches will be removed. I agree that the bottom right branch should stay with the new front.

 

[Djtommy]

Front looks much better from this side.
It needs a bit of a haircut, would still shorten the left side.
You can male a nice riceball style tree with it, with the right bottom branch keeping the overall image interesting.
Nice tree.

 

[0soyoung]

I want to thank everyone for your input. I think you saw what I knew about this tree without me showing it.

I'm curious, was this an intervention by us or did we BNutters just pass a (surreptitious) bonsai-IQ test?

The new front is indeed quite nice.

 

[PaulH]

I'm curious, was this an intervention by us or did we BNutters just pass a (surreptitious) bonsai-IQ test?

The new front is indeed quite nice.

The answer is yes.

 

[Ris]

Kinsai is on my short list. Nice blooms, but those large petal blooms are dominant, and those branches need to be removed to retain the recessive characteristics of the "mother" plant's thin petals. Peter Warren advised once to never buy a kinsai out of bloom, because their tendency is to quickly revert.

I would keep that right branch and grow it longer, at least based on the one photo shared. Is there a front that shows a stronger base?

Hello Brian,
Concerning cutting back on the lager petal bloom, how far back onto the branch to cut back?
I also have a kinsai that does the same reverting but not sure how far it needs to be cut back. Do I follow the twig back to the main branch then remove?

 

[Cadillactaste]

Absolutely STUNNING! It is amazing how we sometimes get tunnel vision and what is great about community hobbyists is that they can offer to shed new light and what we might have found later...arrives a bit sooner than it might have. Love the new front...it makes that tree!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Hello Brian,
Concerning cutting back on the lager petal bloom, how far back onto the branch to cut back?
I also have a kinsai that does the same reverting but not sure how far it needs to be cut back. Do I follow the twig back to the main branch then remove?

I would wait until it's blooming before pruning it, and then trace it back to keep only twigs/branches with the narrow-petal flowers, and remove those branches with the reverted flowers. I assume they'd be out on the ends or full branches.

Check out Bonsai Today issue somewhere around issues 41-44 for an article about preserving white flowers by removing the branches which have reverted to full red.

 

[Ris]

Thank you Brian, will do the next blooming season.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Paul - beautiful tree, I agree with the new choice of front. I would also consider thinning it out some, seems very full of twigs, hard to see the structure, though that may be an artifact of seeing a photo, rather than in person. I like it.