Preordained Death of Satsuki Azalea with Deadwood

[hozookie]

I recently acquired a beautiful imported Satsuki azalea styled similar to the attached image with the first and only brand forming the entire foliage mass and the trunk line above the branch is mostly dead for future carving. The tree is vigorous and healthy.

In a recent workshop with American and Japanese masters, there was talk of the tree's eventual death (within a decade) due to the existence of the deadwood. This concern only pertains to Satsuki azalea and not other azalea varieties such as Kurume.

This idea doesn't entirely make sense to me, but it may be the reason why we don't see many Satsuki azalea styled with deadwood.

Any professional input and experience in the matter is greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[jkd2572]

Your pic is a juniper???

 

[Poink88]

Your pic is a juniper???

I think he got that covered

I recently acquired a beautiful imported Satsuki azalea styled similar to the attached image...

 

[jkd2572]

Ok thanks. Read to fast.

 

[hozookie]

It's a little scary that I can't even find a single image of a finished Satsuki azalea styled with deadwood. . .

 

[Poink88]

This one has...
http://satsukimania.net/index.php/gallery/exhibition/121-exhibition2.html

 

[A Random User]

Ummm... I obviously will claim to be no expert on Azaleas...
But, If the deadwood is to be the demise of the tree... which I
would highly doubt, then just cut it off, score the scared tissue
around it, seal with some cut paste and let it heal over !!!
Problem solved !!!

I would think that the reason you aren't finding many with deadwood,
is that to the Japanese, Azaleas with no scar marks or blemishes are
highly prized, like are Maples.

 

[jk_lewis]

I can think of no valid biological reason that would guarantee the tree's death in any number of years.

What I think is that you ran into some very hidebound "masters." For some folks, anything non-traditional is a death knell.

 

[Dan W.]

I'd love to see an actual picture of the azalea. Nothing wrong with the juni, but if the azalea is even half as nice, it's certainly worth sharing s picture...

 

[october]

hmmmm..Was I at this demonstration? Was there a spruce involved here.

Rob

 

[hozookie]

Rob! I wanted a second opinion, but not many have experience with this situation. I'm tempted to keep the tree and see what happens; I'm sure the information will be helpful for future azalea enthusiasts

 

[october]

I am not an expert on azaleas. The information presented to you is very logical in regards to plant physiology. However, sometimes trees surprise you. If I was in your place and in my opinion, I would keep the tree. I would absorb the knowledge, but in regards to this tree, I would act as if you never heard the information. I would try to create a nice bonsai. Even if it does last for only 10 years, it might become a beautiful bonsai and maybe even exhibition worthy. Now if it lasts much longer that will just be a bonus. In my opinion, the tree has some great potential. In the end, it is your decision. You could probably get a good price for it. I would not want to deprive you of selling this tree and making some money. However, you might wonder what would have happened and how would the tree looked after it was styled.

Rob

 

[jkd2572]

Did I miss the pic of the actual tree?

 

[Martin Sweeney]

hozookie,

Folks down here in the Charlotte area that are concerned with deadwood on azaleas, especially close to the soil, as a point for (I think phytophora) fungus to attack the living portions of the trunk. Rumor has it that the fungus will spread, slowly killing the entire tree.

I am not sure I buy that, but it may be the genesis of what you are hearing. I have seen dead areas spread on satsuki that seemed unstoppable, but then I never saw any attempt at intervention either.

I have heard from Chase Rosade that he was digging big, old azaleas in Pennsylvania (either satsuki or Kurume) a good while ago that either had big dead areas or after styling, had big dead areas and that they lived. I think he treated with lime sulfur pretty regularly and then painted the deadwood brown to look more like bark as folks didn't like the white deadwood. Not sure about that last part.

Not to pile on, but a picture or two would be great.

Regards,
Martin

 

[jkd2572]

Wood hardener might be appropriate as well.

 

[Beng]

I'm currently attempting intervention on 2 satsuki with deadwood. One is an old import I bought from a friend in virginia beach whos no longer into bonsai as he seems to kill every azalea he touches, the variety translates out to Mt Fuji I believe. I've had it for 4 years now 3/4 of the tree died and now it is a shohin and potted like one. I cut off all the dead branches and now it's very much a sumo tree. I've treated the tree several times with tinted lime sulfer and wood hardener. However wood at the base of the tree that leads to the now dead roots "the remaining of which will be removed next spring" continues to turn green i've removed the dying side in stages thinking I could bring it back but that wasn't gonna happen. The live side is going strong though. I believe satsuki deadwood can be preserved but it must be protected long enough to completely dry out and then it must be treated and treated multiple times. The other satsuki I have is a larger tree about a foot and a half tall with very nice 7 inch nebari. Again half the top of the tree is dead, I got it from a well known US master for 25 dollars as a rehabilitation (pity) project and cause I adore satsuki. I pulled it from it's old dense clogged soil and put it in a dryer mix with some kanuma. Since then the remaining living portion of the tree has begun to grow. I think we generally pot our satsuki in overly wet medium here in the US. Although they like to stay moist they need good aeration in their soil. Kanuma breaks rather fast and I think a repot schedule when using it at 100% needs to be every 1-2 years after the initial post import first repot when most people let the tree establish for 3 years. I haven't had either of my satsuki rehab projects for 10 years so time will tell I guess.

 

[A Random User]

Man !!!
This thread is like some sort of Spy Movie, staring Matt Damon...

I mean, we have a mystery tree that is "Preordained to Die" !!!

A "Substitute Photo" of a totally different Plant, that we are told
to pretty much "imagine" that the tree, that is being bought from
some "Foreign" secret agent is "Suppose" to look kinda like !!!

Then there is Some "Secret Meeting" that took place, between those
in the know, that only 2 folks here at B-Nut were privy too !!!
It's all in "Hush-Hush" as though it never happened... No names given
of who the Players were, no credentials for anyone to be able to
verify...

Then There is the talk of a possible sale of the tree that was just purchased !!!

Man !!! I hope when you go to actually make the deal, that you ask for
Unmarked Bills, and a get away car !!!

 

[jkd2572]

I Hope this leads to a serious satsuki discussion from people who are successfully growing them here in he states. Yes pics would be nice.

 

[A Random User]

I Hope this leads to a serious satsuki discussion from people who are successfully growing them here in he states. Yes pics would be nice.

Well... Obviously we posted at the same time !!!

 

[Beng]

Man !!!
This thread is like some sort of Spy Movie, staring Matt Damon...

I mean, we have a mystery tree that is "Preordained to Die" !!!

A "Substitute Photo" of a totally different Plant, that we are told
to pretty much "imagine" that the tree, that is being bought from
some "Foreign" secret agent is "Suppose" to look kinda like !!!

Then there is Some "Secret Meeting" that took place, between those
in the know, that only 2 folks here at B-Nut were privy too !!!
It's all in "Hush-Hush" as though it never happened... No names given
of who the Players were, no credentials for anyone to be able to
verify...

Then There is the talk of a possible sale of the tree that was just purchased !!!

Man !!! I hope when you go to actually make the deal, that you ask for
Unmarked Bills, and a get away car !!!

Well I won't reveal my azalea killing friends name. But my more recent rehab project that's just starting to push growth I got from Suthin Sukosolvisi t. It was a imported tree he sold to a customer who must not have been too skilled or well informed. Some how he ended back up with it again and since I bought a number of other trees that day I brought home a few rehab projects for not too much extra. This was one of them and a ugly graft large kiyohime I plan to air layer was the other. I removed the spent flower buds, the tree hadn't been potted for a long time when I pulled it out, the kanuma was fully broken down, 1/3 the root ball was rotting, all of which I cut back to live roots. Gave it a root soak in a fungicide, and rooting hormone and repotted it in a inorganic mix. Covered the top of the soil with Yamagoke moss and let it be. Just started fertilizing it last week when growth began, it's still not drinking much It's still not out of the woods yet. If I get it healthy i'll post before and afters, it may never be a masterpiece again, but it could be a nice tree if it survives. I don't even know what color the flowers are, just picked it up for it's battleworn old trunk and the desire to bring a tree on the brink back to life. Often projects like this end in failure though time will tell.