need azalea inspiration

DrDirt

I collected this azalea from a friend's property. I know the "rules" say one trunk, but I really like the trunk and nebari, so I'm going to play with it. One main limb as dead when I dug it, so my only options are to jin it or remove it entirely. I guess this is a fairly unorthodox form for an azalea,. Thoughts?

Attached Images

	azalea6.jpg (68.4 KB, 94 views)
	azalea4.jpg (64.5 KB, 109 views)
	Azalea1.jpg (72.7 KB, 137 views)

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rockm

It's not unorthodox, just unrefined. Alot of old azaleas dug from landscapes have this kind of configuration. You just have to subtract limbs until it looks good. I would remove the jin trunk and the trunk on the far left completely.

That would give you a good start on an informal upright with a strong right hand branch.

You might cut those to-be-removed trunks back a little at a time, as removing them all at once could result in sap withdrawal from the section of trunk they're connected to.

pootsie

Mmmm, nebari! There's no reason you can't have a multi-trunk design.

You'll notice that most of the azalea bonsai you find in books and mags have a design that emphasizes big, broad, wide-spreading branches. The reason for that, of course, is to emphasize the flowers when it blooms. To give it a big area to show off, so to speak. So the designs are centered on that one aspect, and they kinda look odd when not in flower. Sometimes you see one that looks like a tree even out of bloom.

Good luck! Oh, and don't do anything drastic if you just collected it this year!

pootsie

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MichelC

Hi,


I'd just cut out the dead branch,
and drastically cut back the elongated one
(down to about 4 or maximum 5 inches),
this leaving a 3-dimensional tree;
If only 2 branches were left,
You'd be having to recreate depth all over again.

Cutting back the elongated one has to be done in stages;
Cut back just above the lowest twig carrying foliage,
and cut back that twig to just a few leaves,
and start feeding well;
The tree then will respond by throwing out new growth below,
and as soon as that's somewhat established,
You can repeat the process until the desired length is reached;
In case of satsuki, You could chop it back even straight away
to the desired length, without the need of remaining foliage,
they'd bud out anyway,
but as this is no satsuki (I gather) You must do it in stages,
allways leaving a few leaves to be certain of keeping the branch going.
It's also very important as well to swiftly seal the wounds with cut paste.

OK, I'm not a 100 % aware of Your local "time of the season",
but if Your spring time actually is well and truly established,
You can do this right now.

Good luck,

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Greetz,

Michel

Graydon

If inspiration is what you desire get the book Satsuki Azaleas by Bob Callaham. It will give you plenty of inspiration as well as very in depth care guidelines.

I think you have a good nebari based on the photo. The challenge will be to work it down to a good trunk by removing the out of scale branches (what you are calling trunks). If done properly and given time to heal over it would be an impressive single trunk tree with a nice base. I always think compact for azaleas.

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Glider

I think that's a really nice tree. It has lots of potential. I'm not aware of a rule that states 'only one trunk' though. My own favourite tree has three (it used to have five).

Your azalea is almost telling you what it wants to do. If it were mine (which I'm painfully aware it isn't ) I would take out the dead branch entirely and also the the branch to the left (in the picture on the right). The rest will fill itself in over two or three years.

I think it was a very good find!

DrDirt

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I decided to remove the branch on the left, as it was somewhat unnatural looking and had almost no taper. I also shortened the upward branch and the one that was growing directly toward what I think will be the rear of the tree. I know this was drastic, but I'm optimistic as I already have latent buds breaking below where I made my cuts a week ago.

I took the jin down significantly but I'm still hesitant to remove it entirely. Viewed from the front, the jin hides an area of almost reverse taper on the back "trunk" of the tree. (you can see this in the 3rd photo). I guess now it's time to hurry up and wait for some foliage to re-develop before I begin to train and wire. Anyone care to virt this?

Attached Images

	azalea7.jpg (65.4 KB, 43 views)
	azalea8.jpg (69.2 KB, 51 views)
	azalea9.jpg (67.2 KB, 50 views)

jjeter

Don't jin an azalea. The heartwood is very soft and will rot quickly. Try to get it to heal over if you can. Yo will have a much healthier tree. I like the way it turned out from your initial styling. Let it grow for the rest of the year, don't prune or wire. The tree needs time to recuperate from what you have done. You should get a lot of new growth all over the tree starting in about a month. You will have a lot of decisions to make about how you want the tree to go. It will give you something to think about for styling next year.

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