AusBonsai

Hi Arthur, Why do the Japanese not grow kurume azalea as bonsai. I have seen photographs of some species azalea used for bonsai which are obviously collected plants, but I don't recall ever seeing kurume used. As you know I live in kurume heaven they are everywhere.
Craigw

craigw60 wrote:Hi Arthur, Why do the Japanese not grow kurume azalea as bonsai. I have seen photographs of some species azalea used for bonsai which are obviously collected plants, but I don't recall ever seeing kurume used. As you know I live in kurume heaven they are everywhere.
Craigw

Hello Craig,

Yes, I well remember it when I lived in Sassafras.
I don't know for certain. I shall ask them that on my next sojourn at the nursery. I think it is most likely that it is to do with the very solid growth that you can achieve with Satsuki and the quite rapid, weighty development that ensues. I think quite a few of the newer and rarer varieties like Hatsukansetsu and Miyamamangetsu have Kurume in them as the flowers are definitely SMALL. We got these varieties in but it will be a year or two before we have built up stock enought to provide them to the Satsuki world over East.

Kurume bonsai do exist in Japan but not in anything like Satsuki numbers. I also think the variety and mutational aspects of Satsuki are a big factor in their popularity.

Arthur