100 Year old Azalea's

[Pup]

I would guess that the secret is nothing more than growing technique.
Craig

He is a commercial wholsale and retail nursery. I would think he just sticks them in the pots. I have asked him before and that is what he said

Cheers Pup

[craigw60]

Well then it will remain a secret. Not many nurseries growing azalea here these days they have gone right out of fashion. Its even quite difficult to find a rhododendron up here now.
Craig

[Webos]

I'm wondering how humid it gets there in that part of WA. As you would know, in Japan the temperatures fluctuate between -5 and 35 celcius/centigrade. It is very dry during the winter season and very humid during the summer. I wonder if the humidity has anything to do with the growth rates of Azalea in Japan.

[nealweb]

We have a hot dry summer with temps up to 40 and even beyond. Also if you are in the wrong spot you will get hot easterly winds which really dry plants out. Azalea's do benefit from some measures to increase the humidity around them here. Our mild winters however mean that we have a longer growing season than japan and can develope the right varieties faster than they can. The satsuki varieties from up in the cold mountain areas of japan - often with narrower leaves don't always cope here but the ones from the warmer area's (with rounded (maruba) leaves from rhododendron tamurae) often thrive and grow very strongly.

The plant i posted was $20 by the way (250mm pot) the $8.95 ones are in 170mm pots i think.

[lindsay farr]

I think that Nealweb's explanation,
"We do have a looong growing season here and the right varieties, ones that handle the heat can really boom along. Especially under nursery conditions with shadecloth, plenty of feeding and alot of water"
Make a lot of sense.
I pressed John Cole on his methods but he indicated that there were no secrets
Japanese satsuki pro's have told me that the biggest satsuki trunks are found growing in akadama near Narita airport.
Micro climates impact profoundly.
That's it. I'm selling up and heading west.
Cheers
Lindsay

[Glenda]

Come North, Lindsay! Up here in Queensland we have both humidity in summer and very looooonnnnnggg growing season - with day temperatures never getting into single digits!. Lowest maximum temperature ever recorded is 11 degrees!.

Glenda

[nealweb]

Come North, Lindsay! Up here in Queensland we have both humidity in summer and very looooonnnnnggg growing season - with day temperatures never getting into single digits!. Lowest maximum temperature ever recorded is 11 degrees!.

Glenda

No no come here Azalea isn't a tropical plant, they don't like hot nights. Linsey its a shame you came west when Arthur is in Japan or else you could have gone out to see his place and have a chat. He is in a satsuki production nursery in Kanuma at the moment, learning all their secrets on propagating, feeding, growing and developing satsuki bonsai. He should learn heaps and that will help us all back here.
If you want a vigorous satsuki try Fuji mori or Takasago, I'm not sure if you have them over east but i would expect so. Or else good old Blue moon is common in all the retail nurseries here and grows really well, and fast!

Cheers,

neal.

[Bretts]

Isn't Arthur having an open garden for the Club in November ? I am thinking of planning my trip West to coincide

[Glenda]

Come North, Lindsay! Up here in Queensland we have both humidity in summer and very looooonnnnnggg growing season - with day temperatures never getting into single digits!. Lowest maximum temperature ever recorded is 11 degrees!.

Glenda

No no come here Azalea isn't a tropical plant, they don't like hot nights. Linsey its a shame you came west when Arthur is in Japan or else you could have gone out to see his place and have a chat. He is in a satsuki production nursery in Kanuma at the moment, learning all their secrets on propagating, feeding, growing and developing satsuki bonsai. He should learn heaps and that will help us all back here.
If you want a vigorous satsuki try Fuji mori or Takasago, I'm not sure if you have them over east but i would expect so. Or else good old Blue moon is common in all the retail nurseries here and grows really well, and fast!

Cheers,

neal.

My mum grows azaleas here and they just grow and grow. No trouble with the humidity or heat. The ones she has have larger leaves and are hose in hose (I think that is the term) but she also has one with very small, longish leaves with rounded ends - almost teardrop shape. Either sort do just fine.

Glenda

[nealweb]

Isn't Arthur having an open garden for the Club in November ? I am thinking of planning my trip West to coincide

Yeah he will do, he does every year and i think we may be having the AGM on the same day. You should definitely try to come then if you can. You will see an amazing show of satsuki in flower and he will have some quality stock plants to purchase. Stuff you will not have over east yet. You should come Be nice to meet you too.

[kcpoole]

Some one is verry lucky boy
an all the rest are verry Jealoius

Nice stock

Ken

Hi Ken,

Yes we are very lucky but so is the rest of bonsai minded Australia. We saved those Azaleas from the death. We still in the process of cleaning them up. After that we will grade and price them. So you could be lucky too.

Cheers,

Chris

I reckon I woud have to take a 2nd Mortgage to afford them tho
What sort of prices would they be worth?

[kcpoole]

Hey Brett
You wanna bring a Satsuki home for me when you go?

[Bretts]

I was recently reading an article of Arthur's in Collins masterclass book. It listed some species that grow well in the hotter climates so I made a note of them. Mollis, Kurume, and Indica which kinda sounded like most but there was special mention of Fuji Mori. Not sure how comon they are but it sounds good to me.
I was even unsure if they where satsuki or not but after googling Fugi Mori is at least. I guess I better do some reading so I don't sound like a total idiot when talking about species to bring back with me

[nealweb]

This is Arthurs fuji mori, i think i probably took the pic last november. It has quite long narrow petals, a little different and very nice. I have a few growing on but they are very pale at the moment, not quite sure why, they have really grown well though. I think its not listed in the japanese satsuki catalogues but is in other references. Arthurs came from Japan though

[Chris Sirre]

Some one is verry lucky boy
an all the rest are verry Jealoius

Nice stock

Ken

Hi Ken,

Yes we are very lucky but so is the rest of bonsai minded Australia. We saved those Azaleas from the death. We still in the process of cleaning them up. After that we will grade and price them. So you could be lucky too.

Cheers,

Chris

I reckon I woud have to take a 2nd Mortgage to afford them tho
What sort of prices would they be worth?

Hi Ken and all,

we have some that will start as low as $100 and up to $5000