Satsuki

Si Nguyen

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Hi all, after seeing the beautiful satsuki azaleas from Kytom, Duane and others, I just have to show mine too. I don't know what variety mine is, but it looks awefully similar to Tom's and Duane's trees. It has few white flowers with pale green center and light pink spots and many flowers with light pink spots and stripes and many with solid pink. The main back branch has almost solid bright pink flowers only. Maybe it is a "Kaho" too? Maybe ShohinKid can tell me what mine is. This picture is from last month when I submitted to the Australian Bonsai forum. The picture is too fuzzy maybe because I had to downsize it too much in order for it to fit here.
I have mine in a mixture of akadama, turface, lava rocks and kanuma.
Enjoy!
Si
 

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mapleman77

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there are so many different varieties of satsukis that if you don't know what specific variety it is, you probably never will. But I'm not a pessimist. ;)

But good luck on the naming! And in any case, I LOVE the nebari. Wish that all bonsai had roots that good. :D
 

shohin kid

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Nice tree Si,
I am traveling right know but when I get home I will try to identify this. Good nebari. Good styling too.
 

Si Nguyen

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Thanks for the kind comments Mapleman and Shohinkid! I took off all the flowers a few weeks ago so it is mostly bare now. But some new flowers are popping up now so I will shoot a few photos in case you need some close ups of the flowers for proper identification.
Good day!
Si
 

shohin kid

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But some new flowers are popping up now so I will shoot a few photos in case you need some close ups of the flowers for proper identification.

I wouldnt let it flower again. Flowering is the second biggest stress to a satsuki. Letting it flower when you dont have to is a big mistake many people make. It would be better for the tree to just pick the buds off. If you need to repot it, know is the time. If it doesnt get repoted then clean it up and wire it if it needs it.
 

bonhe

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It looks very nice Si with an excellent nebari. It's hard to get this type of nebari. Good job. Bonhe
 
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Absolutely gorgeous Satsuki Si, realistic, natural, and visually pleasing. Excellent nebari and trunk. The foliage mass is open, but not so much as to destroy the flower show. Good pot choice as well, I am glad to see an unglazed pot with this tree.

A fine example of Satsuki bonsai!



Will
 
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Just Duane

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Very nice Satsuki Si. The trunk, pads & pot, very nice combo. Thanks for sharing.
 

R_F

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Thanks for sharing!
 

HotAction

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Very nice, Si. But, now i can't decide if I prefer your sketches or your trees!

-Dave
 

Attila Soos

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Si, yours must be one of the best looking satsuki I've seen for a long time. Absolutely gorgeous. As Will said, it has an open crown, but not too open at the expense of the flower show. Just perfect.
It could well be a Kaho, but there is something peculiar about it: it has much more red and pink, and much less white that I used to see in a Kaho. So, if it happens to be a Kaho, it is of exceptional quatity, color-wise.

How long you've had it, and what medium are you using?
(and, as you know, there is always a posibility that I will take it off your hands - you always seem to have great deals for me...the sago palm group is doing great, btw, I know that Leila was upset that you gave it away for too little:))
 
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ovation22

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Looks like a Gyoten more than Kaho, but has been said there are so many varieties it's hard to tell from this photo. I'll have to disagree with what's been said, the nebari could use some improvement. Work on arranging the roots at the next repotting and remove any crossed roots.

As for repotting, late Winter or early Spring is a much better time to repot. Repotting a Satsuki Azalea after flower only further weakens the tree. Repotting after flower is another long taught practice that is out dated and needs to be forgotten.

Just my $.02.
 

Attila Soos

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Looks like a Gyoten more than Kaho, but has been said there are so many varieties it's hard to tell from this photo. I'll have to disagree with what's been said, the nebari could use some improvement. Work on arranging the roots at the next repotting and remove any crossed roots.

As for repotting, late Winter or early Spring is a much better time to repot. Repotting a Satsuki Azalea after flower only further weakens the tree. Repotting after flower is another long taught practice that is out dated and needs to be forgotten.

Just my $.02.

I agree about re-potting early spring. Especially in my climate.

I dont's see any crossed root, could you point it out? Btw, wit satsuki, you cannot bare-root them. So all you can do is remove unwanted surface roots, there is no way to arrange them, since they grow in a tight mat, especially the old ones like this. You can't even get near the nebari with your root-hook.
 

ovation22

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Attila, I was careful to say "remove any crossed roots", that is, if they exist. I couldn't tell if there were any from the photo. It's easier (better) to correct small problems early.

And, respectfully, I'll have to disagree with "there is no way to arrange them". Again, if repotting is done in late Winter or early Spring then you can do much more work on the roots. Use a set of angled tweezers to comb out the matt of roots to get to the base of the nebari and correct as much as you can with each repotting.

We should always be working to improve our trees, and nebari is about the only place I can see that this great tree needs any work.

By the way, I'm speaking from experience, even on these old ones major work can still be done. Here's a picture of me and Boon with my big Satsuki from a few years ago. I'll be working on this one (trimming and thinning, repotting was done in February) on Saturday.
 

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Attila Soos

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And, respectfully, I'll have to disagree with "there is no way to arrange them". Again, if repotting is done in late Winter or early Spring then you can do much more work on the roots. Use a set of angled tweezers to comb out the matt of roots to get to the base of the nebari and correct as much as you can with each repotting.

I have one that close to 50 years old now, I don't dare to comb out the whole nebari, but it's good to know that I could if I wanted to. But I don't have any problem with crossing roots, so I don't need to.

But I believe you if you've done it. I once killed an old one about eight years ago, I can never forgive myself, it still feels like a nightmare, since it as a spectacular tree. So now I am REALLY careful with the one left. If I was stupid enough to lose the one left, I would probably give up bonsai altogether, since I couldn't bear the thought of such a failure any longer.
 
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shohin kid

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If you repot in early spring, you should not let it flower. It is to stressful to the tree. I learned this from Dave Kreutz. Dave is probably the best Satsuki expert in the states. Repoting is the biggest stress to a tree. Flowering is the second biggest stress to a Satsuki. Dave told me that you should not let a Satsuki flower if you repot in early spring of that year. In japan, people repot after flowering. Note that these are not considered bonsai, they are mostly just grown for the flower.
 

ovation22

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Shohin,

That's quite a broad generalization. There are quite a few Satsuki Azalea bonsai in the Kokufu show each year. These are some of the best bonsai in the world, and often are awarded a Kokufu prize. These are repotted in early Spring and treated as true bonsai.

I do not let my Azaleas flower the year I repot. As you said, one stress a year is plenty. But, with proper trimming and thinning this year flower buds should set for a spectacular display next year.
 

shohin kid

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In Satsuki shows in japan, there are Satsuki trees grown for flowers, and satsukis grown for bonsai. As to the repoting thing, I just do what dave tells me. He knows his satsukis. I will be visiting his nursery in about a week or so. I will clarify with him what he prefers as regards to repoting. I just know you can't let it flower if you repot in early spring.

Ovation, Unless you have been to japan and talked to people in the kokufu show or had trees in it, how do you possibly know what they do? All my Satsuki books, some from japan, say that they repot after flowering. You should really post sources that support your point.
 
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