Collected Azalea

[Bob O]

D.

You should remove the shoots from the base area as they may strenghten and rob the energy from the top of your trunks. With azalea always remember they are very base dominant, thats why you see very few single trunk azaleas in the landscape.

Hope this helps,
Bob O

 

[daudelus]

Jim and Bob, thanks for the input! I hope to tackle it later this week and I'll post images of the result. I would guess the plan would be to decrease the mass above ground and then, hopefully, reduce the root mass next spring. It was collected with a large amount of fine roots, and I placed it in a large tub, so I would like to start reducing it over time.

 

[daudelus]

I did some reduction on the azalea today. I didn't go wild on it... I'm still trying to work out what I want it to be in the future. I think a semi cascade is likely, but working out the two trunks into a design is causing a problem for me currently. Any thoughts are welcome.

 

[papajay]

Maybe you can arrange to rotate it up for two trunks, take it slowly and give roots to adapt new position.

 

[daudelus]

Meaning a more upright tree? I would have to see what is there for a root flare... I didn't investigate at the time. I think you have a point though.