AusBonsai

This was bought as a Gumpo and the growth is small.

Its stressed; either over-watered or underfed, or pH problem. Or all of them

Looks to be of the satsuki variety - I think it has been mis labelled as a Gumpo maybe as it flowers at a similar time.

Cheers,
Leigh.

Just for the record, Gumpo is a Satsuki variety, there are several available in Australia. It could be Gumpo pink and white
(I have one of those which is doing exactly the same thing), Gunrei which isn't a Gumpo but is commonly mistaken for one due to the similar name. It could also be a poorly selected cutting which was taken from a sport which is a common oversight with Satsuki.
Did you buy it in that pot?
It does look a little weak but with not much foliage going on.
Depends what you have done to it already before you do anything else but seaweed extracts are always a good start. Do you want to keep the flowers on it or are you happy to cut them off?

Hi Damian,

Thanks for the heads up mate. I had no idea Gumpo was a Satsuki.

Cheers!

Hi Damian
This is the gumpo I said I would post, I bought 15 when I bought the other gumpo, only 3 had a label that said they where gumpo.
I have already repotted this one it looks a lot different in a larger pot.
Barry

Hello,

If a Satsuki or any other azalea for that matter, looks weak then cut ALL the flowers off and divert the energy into making green growth. You will end up with a better tree.

Arthur

I was just about to say the same as Arthur

Nice flowers tho

Ken

'Mornin',

I would like to clarify one thing for everyone.

According to the Tochinoha Shobo Dictionary of some 2,000 Satsuki varieties Gumpo is a single variety and it is only here in Australia that it has been treated as a generic term covering anything looking similar - and there are many.

Tochinoha Shobo is taken as THE authorative source on varieties in Japan though my Fuji Mori ( the name I was given by the seller/nurseryman and appearing in Fred Galle's book ) does not appear there and may well be under the name of Hikarugenji.
So nothing is perfect!!

Arthur

I have a similar azalea that has been identified as a satsuki because Gumpo foliage is quite large in comparison. I would vote for satsuki.

Damian Bee wrote:Just for the record, Gumpo is a Satsuki variety, there are several available in Australia. It could be Gumpo pink and white
(I have one of those which is doing exactly the same thing), Gunrei which isn't a Gumpo but is commonly mistaken for one due to the similar name. It could also be a poorly selected cutting which was taken from a sport which is a common oversight with Satsuki.
Did you buy it in that pot?
It does look a little weak but with not much foliage going on.
Depends what you have done to it already before you do anything else but seaweed extracts are always a good start. Do you want to keep the flowers on it or are you happy to cut them off?

This dose look like a Satsuki variety but I dont think it is Gumpo 'Pink and White' See mine in bloom today.
By the way Gumpo variety in Japan is called Maruba Satsuki I beleive. Akamatsu

akaruhi wrote:'Mornin',

I would like to clarify one thing for everyone.

According to the Tochinoha Shobo Dictionary of some 2,000 Satsuki varieties Gumpo is a single variety and it is only here in Australia that it has been treated as a generic term covering anything looking similar - and there are many.

Tochinoha Shobo is taken as THE authorative source on varieties in Japan though my Fuji Mori ( the name I was given by the seller/nurseryman and appearing in Fred Galle's book ) does not appear there and may well be under the name of Hikarugenji.
So nothing is perfect!!

Arthur

That is food for thought, looks like our nursery association have made a real mess of things over the years Looks like it is back to the books. Speaking of which, is Tochinoha Shobo available in Aus?

These names are no doubt a real mess!
No wonder I like to collect species plants.
Dose anyone know if the wild Satsuki (R.indicum) can be perchased from anywhere in Autrralia????
Akamatsu

Dont know Aka ???
But I haven't really looked yet.
It seems that WA has some varieties that we don't and we have some which they don't.

Hello everyone,

Here is a mixed reply trying to cover points raised by several of you.

1. 3WM who import Akadama and Kanuma will be getting a few Tochinoha Shobo Dictionaries in during next year.
2. Wild Satsuki ( R. Indicum ) are just that - wild, native to the mountains of Japan and have many variants, I have seen them in situe. The only native Rhodendron we have is Vereya as far as I know.
3. Gumpo is not a species but the name of a Satsuki hybrid - there is but one Gumpo!
4. Maruba Satsuki means that there is some Rhododendron Tamurae in the blood of the particular Satsuki hybrid and it has rather rounded leaves. Maruba means round leaved. These varieties stand up to heat better - Blue Moon is a good example.

If you all want to know more I suggest you join the Satsuki Society of Australasia which is trying to help people interested to grow Satsuki successfully and gain more knowledge generally ( http://www.satsukisociety.com ).

Have a great Christmas all of you,

Akaruhi/Arthur