AusBonsai

I was given a seedling/cutting a few years ago. It has been left to grow and with an impressive flush of flowers this year, I have decided that I like the species very much.
Flowering much later than all my other azaleas, I suspect it is a satsuki variety.
I will enjoy the flowering and after that think about what style if will become. Any help with identification will be nuch appreciated.

Flowering at this time of year it is almost definitely a Satsuki. I have one the same that I bought 15 years ago under the name of " Holly Age" but I can't find any record of any such name on the internet on the Satsuki sites.

Hi Gerard.
Looks like you got yourself a Daishuhai, (Great Vermillion Cup) synonym Taishuhai.
Great flowers, gives some nice variation too.
Thanks for sharing

Hi Gerard,
Very nice and definitely a Satsuki! Looks a bit like a ‘Daishuhai’, but I think it’s a ‘Chigosugata’ - looking at the flower shape and the leaves. They both have the same/similar coloring! Hard to say by looking just at the pictures!

The 'Satsuki Interest Group' is meeting at Trevor’s Bonsai Art Nursery on Saturday 17th November at 1:30pm - 4:30pm, bring it along and we’ll hopefully be able to give you a more definite answer.
Cheers, Rudi

Hmmm, interesting Rudi.

The two seem very difficult to separate. It definitely needs a visual providing it is still in flower. Differing points between the two at present are that Daishuhai has an orange red border with strongly reflexed, rounded T shaped lobes as opposed to a coral rose border with wavy margins and broad maruben (trumpet shaped) flower.

Descriptions tend to blur between the two depending on the source, depending on where it came from may also determine its name

Sometimes I do feel like a in regards to this stuff but I do love a mystery.

Flowers are finished now the tree is pruned wired and ready for a new display next year

Wow, my mind boggles at the knowledge on display here. I am happy if i can tell the difference between an "indica" and an Kurume. This will turn out a nice tree Gerard.