Collecting a swamp azelea (Rhododendron viscosum)

[Javaman4373]

We have a number of swamp azeleas growing in some wet woods on our property and I was scouting them for possible bonsai material. I have transplanted a couple in the past successfully and they are not very difficult to dig up. I found one of some interest that has a sizable woody base and nebari. It has multiple trunks that are bare of branches until at least 3-4 ft from the ground. So if collected, it would only work if back budding was suitable. If this species is anything like several evergreen rhododendrons that we have that I have chopped, then back budding can be very good. I understand this is a species that can be air layered as well. Again though, the interesting trunks are without branches until much too high. So the question for the forum is it worth an attempt to chop it and dig it up in the spring.

 

[Rivian]

Id leave it there. Theres just no taper in the trunk. I feel for an azalea, this would need too hard of a pruning. You might never manage to smooth out the transition.

 

[Tiki]

Chop and dig in the spring? yes...this coming spring? NO.

Do all the hard cuts up top next spring while its still in the ground, let it recover with its roots intact then think about digging it up. Though azaleas will have a shallow root base so getting it out shouldnt be much of a challenge, it does have long surface roots that will need to be either slowly reduced over time or incorporated into your final design. Things to think about while you wait. Could have a nice clump style going on, depending on what all survives the initial major cuts. Azaleas can be prone to die back strait down to the roots so be ready for that.

 

[0soyoung]

I agree with @Tiki.
Do it right after it has flowered/bloomed.
I have one from a garden center nursery and a little ground layer from it. They nicely make curvaceous stems with just cut and grow (i.e., wiring really isn't necessary). Just let it bloom and then cut back to a leaf. It also often buds out on old wood as well, which gives you a cut point for a hard cut-back in the followng season.

 

[Javaman4373]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I will work on this plant in place and see what develops. The two I transplanted have done ok, although I realize now the spot they are in, along a spill way from the pond is too sunny for this species. Here is one this spring:

 

[Zach Smith]

If you decide to lift this or other swamp azaleas just chop and lift, and reduce any roots to what will fit into the ultimate bonsai pot (they do backbud on old wood). There's no need to chop the roots in the ground and let it recover; in fact, chopping trees in the ground is often exactly the wrong thing to do, especially if they're tall enough to get the sunlight they need before you chop and you then reduce them to where they're too shaded to survive. I don't know of any deciduous tree you can't just chop and lift.

 

[Javaman4373]

If you decide to lift this or other swamp azaleas just chop and lift, and reduce any roots to what will fit into the ultimate bonsai pot (they do backbud on old wood). There's no need to chop the roots in the ground and let it recover; in fact, chopping trees in the ground is often exactly the wrong thing to do, especially if they're tall enough to get the sunlight they need before you chop and you then reduce them to where they're too shaded to survive. I don't know of any deciduous tree you can't just chop and lift.

When would you do the chop and lift. Early spring before any leafing out, or post blooming?

 

[Zach Smith]

When would you do the chop and lift. Early spring before any leafing out, or post blooming?

In late winter, that worked for me. I have one on my bench as we speak. Not the most spectacular species for bonsai, but they produce a nice bloom in summer.

 

[Javaman4373]

If you decide to lift this or other swamp azaleas just chop and lift, and reduce any roots to what will fit into the ultimate bonsai pot (they do backbud on old wood). There's no need to chop the roots in the ground and let it recover; in fact, chopping trees in the ground is often exactly the wrong thing to do, especially if they're tall enough to get the sunlight they need before you chop and you then reduce them to where they're too shaded to survive. I don't know of any deciduous tree you can't just chop and lift.

Your point is right on. This azelea is surrounded by ostrich ferns that are about 3 feet high, and they would surely shade a chopped shrub. There is also some over story from larger trees nearby. In fact that is why the current growth all leans toward one side.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Plus one for Zach Smith's recommendation, the man knows of what he speaks.

 

[Trenthany]

Plus one for Zach Smith's recommendation, the man knows of what he speaks.

Me too I need to stalk him and see if he has any more collection tips here. He’s on my internet watch list for sure lol. I already watched his videos and checked his site lol. I love cypress so he’s on my short list of people to learn from on those specifically and also about collecting in the SE US. Well him and a few others. Lol I like to spread my stalking, I mean learning out amongst several people that are way above me in experience!

 

[Javaman4373]

I was scouting the various Swamp Azeleas growing in our swampy woods looking for smaller specimens. I found one woody stem from a cluster of large trunks lying near the ground and lifted it to see if it was alive and had leaves on the end. I found it had layered on the ground and had a little cluster of small stems were coming from the layer. I cut it off and took it home and potted it. We will see how it does. Ground layering would seem to be a nice option, when suitable material can be brought to the ground. I would think it would have the advantage that the layer would be more winter hardy and could by developed over a longer period of time that an air layering.

 

[Javaman4373]

I lifted the swamp azalea (Rododendron viscosum) today. I chopped the tall stems and separated a single trunk that was tight to the main plant for a friend. We will see how it produces buds and lends itself to styling in the future. If it lives and I don't want to work with it, I can find a place for it in our landscape.

 

[Javaman4373]

The collected azalea is just now starting to show some developing buds. There are many on the base and some on the trunks. The trunk buds are appearing as small bumps, which one has proved to be a bud with a tiny red bud visible in the bump. (see photo) My plan was to wait and see what buds developed and then re-chop the trunks accordingly after a growing season. One question is whether I should pinch the buds appearing in the base to direct energy to the trunk buds.

 

[0soyoung]

I should pinch the buds appearing in the base to direct energy to the trunk buds.

I don't know about this 'directing energy' stuff, but shoots that look like suckers are not at all pleasing, aesthetically. If you want more trunks, keep 'em. If you don't, get rid of those buds asap. Then you won't have any scars/bulges.

 

[Javaman4373]

Update. The azalea has produced buds and I am letting them just grow. With the exception of buds at the base, I have pinched them all off except one I let grow temporarily to provide energy to the roots. The plan is to see what new branches develop and then chop the large trunks back in the spring accordingly.

 

[Javaman4373]

Update on the azaleas. The large one generated quite a few back bud branches that grew profusely. Interestingly to me, unlike the original trunks, which only branch high up and have leaves at the tips of twigs, These new branches have alternating leaves through out, rather than just a terminal cluster. The smaller R. v that I collected this spring has the typical habit, with some back budding beginning. Some of the leaf clusters at the top, seem to have what looks like flower buds for next spring. Both have grown well this summer.

 

[Shogun610]

What was the substrate you used for your swamp azalea?

 

[Javaman4373]

I used some of the soil from the site of origin clinging to the root ball and set the plants on top of a mix of pine bark (about 60-70%), some peat (about 20%), and some sand (10%) over a bottom layer of coarse gravel. They will get a more traditional bonsai soil mix when I repot them in the future. I think they are happy with quite a bit of organic material in the substrate, since they are natually growing in a swamp area that even has some live sphagnum moss nearby. In our woods, the azaleas tend to be on small hummocks above the really wet ground near by and usually have ostrich ferns growing around them.

 

[Javaman4373]

I wasn't happy with the result I was getting with the azalea in a pot, so I transplanted it back into the landscape along the spill way from our pond. It has done ok there, and was going to have quite a nice bloom this spring until a late frost damaged some of the flower buds. I still toy with the idea of choping it back further and collecting it again vs just leaving it where it is. The base is so interesting, but the trunks lack any taper and don't seem to transition to a major branch all that well. Here it is what it looks like now, front and back views.