AusBonsai

Hi ALL,

The Topic for this posting is actually to promote an EVENT and not a TUTORIAL on Satsuki and Azalea in general!!!

Happy to contribute AFTER THE EVENT in a new post or ad to previous ones in "Flowering and Fruiting" my two worth of limited knowledge!

However, having said that .... you still can come buy and we can show you on the "real" trees the differences .... and there are many!

Cheers, Rudi

JR_J wrote:The Topic for this posting is actually to promote an EVENT and not a TUTORIAL on Satsuki and Azalea in general!!!

If Ausbonsai was here just to be an advertising vehicle for Clubs and nurseries then that might be a logical argument. It is actually a learning tool for all bonsai enthusiast in Australia ( and overseas) to benefit from and preferably give something back as well.

JR_J wrote:
However, having said that .... you still can come buy and we can show you on the "real" trees the differences .... and there are many!

Cheers, Rudi

Strange post
Posting a reply to the thread somewhat related to the topic will have the affect of bringing the thread back to the top of the list so becomes viewable to more people.
The question posed by Shibui has been asked in many threads previously and still has no real answer that i can find.
How about documenting the differences rather than keeping them secret. Then we can all benefit as many of us cannot make it in person!

Ken

I thought this forum is about sharing and helping other bonsai enthusiasts with issues about bonsai so we can better understand the art of bonsai. Thats why this art survived hundred of years because knowledge is passed down from our forefathers to the next generation.

shibui wrote:Can one of the azalea afficionados please try to explain the differences between satsuki and other azaleas so us plebs can understand please. Everyone uses the terms but no-one has been able to explain them to me.
How do I know if I am looking at a satsuki, kurume indica or other?

Shibui,
Satsuki azaleas where developed mainly from Rh indicum, eriocarpum (simsii) and also nakaharai from Taiwan. They are all hybrids between these and possibly other species. They mainly originated at lower altidudes and therefore can only tolerate mild frost and flower here in November. Contrary to popular belief, indicum is a native of Japan not India. Satsuki thicken their trunks faster than the kurume. Many satsuki have hairy leaves depeding on how much indicum is there. The leaves can also vary form round to long and slender.

Kurume Azaleas where developed mainly from Rh kiusianum which grows up to 1600m elevation and are very cold hardy. Kurumes have kiusianum, kaempferi and sataense in their blood. They flower earlier than the satsuki and have smaller flowers. The growth habit is more upright and less spreading. kiusianum itself makes a very good bonsai subject and can be fully deciduous in very cold areas. Kurume leaves are usually more uniform than the satsuki. Small and rounded apex and without hairs usually. Both satsuki and kurume can have great autumn colours. It is the SPRING leaves which colour up. The summer leaves on BOTH kinds (surrounding the flower buds) usually remain green.

The Indica types are more complicated and not worth worrying about as they are just garden plants and not much good for bonsai as their growth is very coarse and their leaves can be huge.

Well done Mike. Another couple of myths busted and some good clear guidelines
Maybe it will be a bit cool up here for the later flowering satsuki types. I guess I'll just have to concentrate on developing the garden origin azaleas I already have and see what develops..

for the ones who could not make it and would like to get a taste of what was on display - you can have a look following this link - https://www.facebook.com/groups/753871068074376/ - there are several post just scroll down the page.

And the best part is, they are all privately owned by members of the Azalea Satsuki Interest Group.

Watch out for next year, this was just a trail run.

Cheers

Was a beautiful display, my daughter loved the flowers.

for those who have no FB access

some more

and finally a few more

Thanks Marlene for posting these. Sorry I missed it.
Cheers

shibui wrote:Can one of the azalea afficionados please try to explain the differences between satsuki and other azaleas so us plebs can understand please. Everyone uses the terms but no-one has been able to explain them to me.
How do I know if I am looking at a satsuki, kurume indica or other?

Thanks Marlenefor posting the pics.

Now that the "Event" is over, does anyone want to take up Shibuis question and progress the discussion started by treeman on the differences between the various Azalea types?
I am sure there is much more to learn than just that
Ken

Hi Marlene
Thanks for putting those pics up, must have been quite a show
peterb

Definitely putting an Azalea on the wish list!

Beautiful Marlene!

Will try my best to get to the next one.

Also interested on information regarding different species etc....

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