Collected Azalea pushing growth

[grizzlywon]

Back earlier this year when I collected a few trees, I also picked up an azalea that was in a guys yard that he didn't want.

I pruned it back with a vengeance and sure enough, it is also pushing some new leaves. So today, I cut it back even more to prevent energy going into leaves I won't want later. I thinking this could make a nice clump? Although, the leaves are pretty large. Although I guess the point in an azalea are the flowers right?

I have managed to kill every other azalea I have ever bought yet this one is doing well.

Any advice would be great. It has about a 4" trunk on it. If your wondering from the pictures, the lighter fluid if for non-cooperative trees

 

[rockm]

You will kill this one if you don't leave it alone. Stop pruning new growth. New growth isn't a waste. Far from it. It is a scarce resource for a newly collected plant.

All new growth, at this point, is good. New growth supports new roots, removing it, removes resources for roots.

You can always remove growth you don't want later.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Definitely let it go this year, and probably next if you want better results. rockm said it best, all I'll add is that azaleas don't grow so fast that you're going to get reverse taper if you let everything go for a few years. You will get a strong, living tree...

 

[Yamadori]

Hey Griz, is the can of lighter fluid next to the azalea motivation (threat) for it to put out new growth?

 

[digger714]

most definately leave it for a year or two so it can recover its root system. The more leaves, and branches you can grow will make it that much stronger. Then, you can go back and start removing any branches you dont want after it recovers. Heres one that was collected this past winter, and will grow out in this container until at least next year, or 2012. The first pic is from february of this year. I shouldnt have taken it in front of the hawthorns. You can see there are only a few branches with any leaves on it (if you look hard, lol), the others are from last week. You have a really nice tree, good luck.

 

[grizzlywon]

Thanks guys, I won't mess with it anymore! Barb, the lighter fluid is great motivation to get them to obey!