My poor Azalea

[Iowa newbie]

This Azalea has been struggling for years in this location, but today its getting destroyed. The gutters are full of ice and its melting off the top of the house in 2 degree weather, as it drips down its accumulating on this poor plant. Its west facing direction has not been good and its under a partial overhang so it doesn't get a lot of sunlight. Leaves have been frost burned a-lot over the years, if it survives this I may dig it up and see if I can work with it this summer.

I tried to shake off some of the heavy ice but fortunately its frozen solid upright so the weight is not hurting it at all.

 

[just.wing.it]

Looks like a full size rhodo to me.
Sorry for it's luck.
Cool pic!

 

[Iowa newbie]

Looks like a full size rhodo to me.
Sorry for it's luck.
Cool pic!

I think you are correct. Still learning here

 

[_#1_]

The tag is hanging on for dear life! I probly would have put one of those small end table thingy for lamps over the plant.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

When time permits, get the name of the ''azalea'' from the tag. It might be a large leaf Rhododendron. There are also Rhododendron with small leaves, like 'PJM' and the there are the small thin leaf Rhododendrons we call Azalea. All azaleas are indeed in the genus Rhododendron, but not all Rhododendrons are considered azaleas. Azaleas belong to the sub-genus Tsutsuji (evergreen) and Pentanthera (deciduous)

It may sound like nit-picking, but it is helpful to understand what is in a name on a tag. It will help in figuring out how to grow it and what it will need to grow well. Most tags from commercial nurseries will call a Rhododendron from the azalea sub-genera, they will call it an azalea. If they only call it Rhododendron, then it probably is not from the azalea sub-genus. But the cultivar name will also provide a clue.

By the way there are a small number of non-azalea Rhododendrons that do work as bonsai, though this list is much shorter, and there are some issues. The 'PJM' Rhododendron for example tends to not make fine branch structures, it always remains a bit coarse and leaves just a bit on the large size. It is however stunning in bloom and can work as a medium to larger size bonsai.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

As to the ice, mechanical damage is the big issue with ice. You will be lucky if this bush makes it through the winter without loosing large parts of it from it just breaking from weight of ice or getting banged around while coated with ice. Either can break branches. If this happens every winter eventually the bush will be a goner. You should either fix the gutter or move the bush.

 

[Iowa newbie]

As to the ice, mechanical damage is the big issue with ice. You will be lucky if this bush makes it through the winter without loosing large parts of it from it just breaking from weight of ice or getting banged around while coated with ice. Either can break branches. If this happens every winter eventually the bush will be a goner. You should either fix the gutter or move the bush.

Nothing wrong with the gutter, the ice storm that hit the area has all the gutters full of ice and it just happens to be in a spot where its running off, the amount of ice has given it alot of stability. Its rock solid and wont budge right now, so we will see what it looks like in a few weeks. I'll pull the tag and get a pic once it thaws

 

[Japonicus]

One cool thing about our state flower the rhododendron is how the leaves curl up tighter
the colder it is as a protective reaction. We had both native and nursery stock on our property
growing up 13’ tall, a little shorter on the nursery purchased ones. They handled ice storms ok.
I do recall my Dad proping certain branches up with dead forked branches to help support the weight of ice.

Perhaps you could gently wedge something like a blanket or movers blanket(s) or something against
the heavy side, to support for now.
Then create a lean-to to shelter more drips of melting snow and ice from the roof.
Maybe just lean plywood up against the house and weight that down so it doesn’t blow about.

 

[Iowa newbie]

One cool thing about our state flower the rhododendron is how the leaves curl up tighter
the colder it is as a protective reaction. We had both native and nursery stock on our property
growing up 13’ tall, a little shorter on the nursery purchased ones. They handled ice storms ok.
I do recall my Dad proping certain branches up with dead forked branches to help support the weight of ice.

Perhaps you could gently wedge something like a blanket or movers blanket(s) or something against
the heavy side, to support for now.
Then create a lean-to to shelter more drips of melting snow and ice from the roof.
Maybe just lean plywood up against the house and weight that down so it doesn’t blow about.

Thats a good idea, but this is the front of the house and the better half would prefer me to not prop some ghetto looking plywood outside. Besides we are getting pounded with snow, over 10 inches since the last picture.

 

[j evans]

Snow may actually help support the plant and deflect the dripping water. Hopefully things will work out.

 

[Japonicus]

Snow may actually help support the plant and deflect the dripping water. Hopefully things will work out.

Yup! +1 plenty of non ghetto snow in that picture to support all our rhodies
there ya go

 

[Iowa newbie]

Update:

Well, we survived winter, there is some damage.


Pulled the tag, it is a full size Rhodo


Its taking a beating in this location, but still has some good structure.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Glad it survived. It is a good variety of "big leaf" Rhododendron. It should be a decent spring bloomer. But it will not be a good fit for for bonsai. The branches will always be coarse, without fine twigs. The leaves will never get small enough for believable perspective. This is one to leave in the landscape. You can train it to be an attractive shrub, the in the ground parallel to bonsai is called "Niwaki". So you can use bonsai technique on it but leave it in the ground. Go for a 6 foot tall blooming shrub with an artistic shape to it.

Enjoy the flowers.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

As one would do with a bonsai azalea, get in there and clean out dead branches. Reduce whorls of multiple branches at a node to no more than 3, usually 2 branches at a node. Remove excess living branches after blooming. Fertilizer right after blooming, not before. Most of the task list from the azalea bonsai schedule, except no repotting.