Large Azalea twin trunk

[Mitchell]

Hi Mitchell
It is hard to tell with the leaf only – I will have a look later at the books I have and see if I can identify it with certainty, although the leaf size does make me think it might be one of the other Rhodý species. However, as I said before, it’s a beauty.

With respect to cutting back – I think your biggest risk is the LHS of the root base. I fear that if you cut back too hard on the LH trunk you may risk losing the lower root area and the rotten things wont grow back again in a dead root base area……

Personally I would consider leaving the LHS for a year and cutting back to the red line.

You may be a bit more gutsy and cut back to the blue lines, but again I fear the loss of root base in the area marked in yellow.

As for its final shape / height, I could see a further significant cut back way down low, but after shoots have popped out and will keep the root base alive – maybe a year or so.

Good luck with it

Regards
Steve

Mitchell.JPG

Thanks for you time Steve

I'm also a bit worried about die back so what ever I do it will be high enough, to allow significant die back with out reaching areas I want to keep.

I must say though on the whole bush, even though it was hacked roughly back down a year ago there was 0% die back. New shoots appeared on the edge of the cuts to the trunk.
I assume the closer I go to the the roots the more chance of damaging them. Even though it has not died back at all on the trunk, could it still die back into the roots if I cut down low....?

[sreeve]

Hi Mitchell
I have rarely had trunk die back. The problems I have found is that if too many of the branches are cut back in a particular area that is drawing energy from a specific are of the roots then that section of root could die back = for some reason the trunk survives as does the tree.....
Its the root base I would be worried about....I can assure you the tree has a 99.9% chance of surviving no matter what treatment you give it.

Having said that, I have caned them before and they pop back with no root loss at all (equally a few have got filed in the big green file in frustration )

I will send you a PM

Regards
Steve

[Jamie]

the thing you got to remember is that it has been dug up now and its not in the ground where it hasnt gone through the stress of the dig to recover after a signifigant chop back. these things can die back all the way to the trunk if you read the replies earlier so it is definately something to watch out for, i reckon leave it be, water when necessary, superthrive and seasol and shade, thats it until it pushes growth, then a couple weeks after it has started pushing growth move it to morning only sun, maybe 2-3 hours and slowly increase it from there every few weeks.

[MattA]

I didn't touch quite a few of the shoots, as I thought someone might comment and say I shouldn't have chopped them due to a design aspect.

Do you grow any Azaleas/Rhododendron's? Your advice sounds sound, yet a few others are saying re-coup first... decisions, decisions.

I did alot of collecting about 10 yrs ago & loved how easy azaleas were to move & get going again no matter what time of year. But being prime collecting time, as others have said no matter what you do you have a really high chance of it surviving.

Nowdays i only have a Vireya Rhododendron, it is a very different plant. If you cut back too hard on any one branch you can loose the whole branch. You have to be really gradual in how you change the plants sap flow. I have had the tree 7yrs and it has finally decided to start backbudding for me, otherwise its a lanky mess and very unbonsai looking. Maybe in another 10yrs, it has taught me alot about how to get the best out of it, now to put it into practice. It is one of my favorite plants with stunning trusses of almost flourescent orange flowers, major flushes spring and autumn with spot flowering most of the year. Maybe its time to bring it out of the shadehouse for a new look.

Good luck with your tree

Matt

[Mitchell]

Hi Mitchell
I have rarely had trunk die back. The problems I have found is that if too many of the branches are cut back in a particular area that is drawing energy from a specific are of the roots then that section of root could die back = for some reason the trunk survives as does the tree.....
Its the root base I would be worried about....I can assure you the tree has a 99.9% chance of surviving no matter what treatment you give it.

Having said that, I have caned them before and they pop back with no root loss at all (equally a few have got filed in the big green file in frustration )

I will send you a PM

Regards
Steve

99% percent sure is pretty sure mate, careful you might have me knocking on your door in 6 months time if she goes belly up... (yes it's a she, but it's going to be masculine yet tender, hopefully)

What do you think of this as a compromise, I cut all the shoots back to the first leaf each, trastically reduce all foliage to bare minimum, wait for it to recover till the first new shoots, then chop the trunk back.

There is a set of small branches located about 15cm up the trunk, if I chop down to them, I am fairly confident they will keep the roots alive and form the apex in the furture.

I made sure when diggin it not to try and damage the first shoots 15cm up the trunk in case I was going to chop it down. If I left live shoots on the trunk would it still die back. Maybe? Hard to tell?

[Mitchell]

the thing you got to remember is that it has been dug up now and its not in the ground where it hasnt gone through the stress of the dig to recover after a signifigant chop back. these things can die back all the way to the trunk if you read the replies earlier so it is definately something to watch out for, i reckon leave it be, water when necessary, superthrive and seasol and shade, thats it until it pushes growth, then a couple weeks after it has started pushing growth move it to morning only sun, maybe 2-3 hours and slowly increase it from there every few weeks.

Don't worry mate I hear you. I am still verging on the side of not touching it. Well I am almost dead set, on not touching it like you say and just re-coup. It's just nice to hear other options of a chop back now, kinda like taking a ferrari for a drive when you can't afford to buy it.

[Mitchell]

Been pushing new growth, could be just energy left in the stump, but all looks good so far.

I know it still needs to recover from the dig, yet took the plunge and cut it back. Left a few inches of the main trunk in case it dies back and have left an inch of the other chopped off trunk. I plan on taking these back more slowly in about 4 months.

Back to the seasol for now, if it survives the chop i'll be happy.

Here's a shot of it now. 17cm wide at the soil X 38cm high from the soil.

[jarryd]

take it back again by half and then you will have something good to start working with. then you can gow a bit of taper into the upper trunk.

[Mitchell]

take it back again by half and then you will have something good to start working with. then you can gow a bit of taper into the upper trunk.

Ideally I would like it cut in half again, but did not want to remove all foliage. Will it survive with no leaves?

I was thinking as apposed to chopping it right back again, bringing the foliage down to only leave say 10cm of trunk exposed. Then the lower canopy could start, then twice the exposed trunk height for foliage height.

From what I had seen on google, the canopy height was about double the trunk height or more.

If it will survive, I would just chop it back again though. I was edging on the side of caution.

[kvan64]

It will survive! Mine was bare-rooted and stripped down to no folliage --> very small new buds sprouting out when I checked this afternoon. Rhododendron is a lot stronger than common azaleas I am positive that yours will pull through too. Make sure you keep it in shades after chopping.
Cheers
DK

[Mitchell]

Chopped it down again to 30cm hich.
Most probably will make one more final height reduction before starting work on branches. It now stands 30cm high x 17cm across the nebari.

Great to see plenty of new buds, below my chop.

[Jamie]

great to see it is budding out for you mitch!

look forward to seeing it when it starts to power on

jamie

[Mitchell]

After a repot and re-think, I have discovered that perhaps more of the trunk can be exposed. I believe this to be a good move towqards creating a bonsai. The trunk is now 300mm at ground level.

I am happy with this new potting level.

My question now is, how far down should I cut it? Where do you see the height of this tree? Not sure where to cut.

[Jamie]

could you get a few more angles of the stump for us mitchell? its a solid trunk and has potential, i would seal all the wonds aswell just to be on the safe side

more pics and i will see what i can virt for ya

[MattA]

Hey Mitchell,

I wouldnt chop it any more now. Its a good base, now you need to let it grow untouched for atleast a year or 2 to get its strength back and take it from there.. It can take just as long to grow a good tree from collected material as it is from seed or cuttings.

Matt