Leo Schordje
wilted blossom
Azalea satsuki type hybrid, cultivar (clonal name) 'Asahi-no-izumi'
Tried an experiment, rather than leave my early season satsuki azalea in cold storage, I thought I would see if the autumn chill was enough to set flowers. I brought this indoors, under lights the first week of December. Only 7 weeks and the first flush of blooms are fully open. There is some chlorosis in the leaves, due to rapid onset of growth and my not fertilizing heavy. I think the new growth will be somewhat 'leggy' and bolt upright, top section growing well (near to the light) and lower branches suffering because of lower light. I won't do this again because outdoor light is much better for balanced growth throughout the tree. instead I will winter the tree in my cold root cellar with its compatriots. It is fun to now know the timing for forcing blooms, the next time I need a tree for a show, it will be possible to set the timing. I suspect each cultivar of satsuki azalea will have its own timing from bringing out of the cold to blooming. Later season cultivars will have a longer interval to blooming.
This year 2012 the jewel marks in the flowers are few and faint. Last year they were much more vivid and a few large sectors of color occurred. Possibly due to lower nitrogen this season.
I had removed a heavy branch between 2011 and 2012, it was 'poking me in the eye' when the tree was out of flower. In flower you would hardly notice, but I want it to look like a decent bonsai when it is not in bloom. I am dabbling with Satsuki Azaleas as bonsai, and am enjoying it, unfortunately their bloom season is not long enough to distract me from orchids for very long. enjoy
Tried an experiment, rather than leave my early season satsuki azalea in cold storage, I thought I would see if the autumn chill was enough to set flowers. I brought this indoors, under lights the first week of December. Only 7 weeks and the first flush of blooms are fully open. There is some chlorosis in the leaves, due to rapid onset of growth and my not fertilizing heavy. I think the new growth will be somewhat 'leggy' and bolt upright, top section growing well (near to the light) and lower branches suffering because of lower light. I won't do this again because outdoor light is much better for balanced growth throughout the tree. instead I will winter the tree in my cold root cellar with its compatriots. It is fun to now know the timing for forcing blooms, the next time I need a tree for a show, it will be possible to set the timing. I suspect each cultivar of satsuki azalea will have its own timing from bringing out of the cold to blooming. Later season cultivars will have a longer interval to blooming.
This year 2012 the jewel marks in the flowers are few and faint. Last year they were much more vivid and a few large sectors of color occurred. Possibly due to lower nitrogen this season.
I had removed a heavy branch between 2011 and 2012, it was 'poking me in the eye' when the tree was out of flower. In flower you would hardly notice, but I want it to look like a decent bonsai when it is not in bloom. I am dabbling with Satsuki Azaleas as bonsai, and am enjoying it, unfortunately their bloom season is not long enough to distract me from orchids for very long. enjoy