Did my Azaleas get too cold?

[Deep Sea Diver]

Hmm… Could be dehydration from underwatering

Yet we all know trees didn’t necessarily have to dry out to get the leaves looking like this.

One of the sneaky ways potted azaleas (happens to planted ones too, but that’s a different story) get winter damage that looks like this is frozen rootball.

Once frozen the roots can no longer provide water or nutrients to the superstructure.

Despite being dormant, plants still need to move water. If not crispy leaves! If outside in sun add in sun scald and split branches and trunks.

The Kazan was interesting to me. It appeared it might have been
- either watered more,
- also as likely from the differential damage, it was a bit sheltered except on one side. Who knows?

Do know from experience root washing hundreds of various azaleas, including the three mentioned, Kazan roots tend to very much more dense then either of the other two azaleas. The Kazan also is certainly older. The Dwarf is a very slow grower at best. Root density equals resistance to freeze.

Wouldn’t get hung up on in the ground temperature data on azalea cold hardiness. Especially when considering potted plants. The vastly greater root surface area exposed to cold changes things drastically . There is very limited data, little to none I’ve discovered which is supported …especially in regards to azalea … in peat or bonsai media,

But it would be a fun experiment!

Finally, when satsuki azalea leaves do freeze outside, usually the tips freeze first and progress back to the stem…the Kazan is good example. Whether the leaves turn to mush or shrivel is environment dependent. I’ve seen both.

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Hmm… Could be dehydration from underwatering

Yet we all know trees didn’t necessarily have to dry out to get the leaves looking like this.

One of the sneaky ways potted azaleas (happens to planted ones too, but that’s a different story) get winter damage that looks like this is frozen rootball.

Once frozen the roots can no longer provide water or nutrients to the superstructure.

Despite being dormant, plants still need to move water. If not crispy leaves! If outside in sun add in sun scald and split branches and trunks.

The Kazan was interesting to me. It appeared it might have been
- either watered more,
- also as likely from the differential damage, it was a bit sheltered except on one side. Who knows?

Do know from experience root washing hundreds of various azaleas, including the three mentioned, Kazan roots tend to very much more dense then either of the other two azaleas. The Kazan also is certainly older. The Dwarf is a very slow grower at best. Root density equals resistance to freeze.

Wouldn’t get hung up on in the ground temperature data on azalea cold hardiness. Especially when considering potted plants. The vastly greater root surface area exposed to cold changes things drastically . There is very limited data, little to none I’ve discovered which is supported …especially in regards to azalea … in peat or bonsai media,

But it would be a fun experiment!

Finally, when satsuki azalea leaves do freeze outside, usually the tips freeze first and progress back to the stem…the Kazan is good example. Whether the leaves turn to mush or shrivel is environment dependent. I’ve seen both.

Cheers
DSD sends

Thanks for the advice. The root ball was definitely frozen for a week or more. All the plants received the same watering intervals, I think the Kazan may have used less water. I'm going to use the advice in this thread and try and keep it alive.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

@Michigan Tree Murderer any news on your azaleas?

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

@Michigan Tree Murderer any news on your azaleas?

cheers
DSD sends

The Kazan is doing good I cleaned up the dead leaves on the one side & it looks happy and healthy, but the Orchid star looks the same as in the original picture. I did the scratch test and the Orchid star passed showing green so I'm hoping it will bounce back. If it does come back, I'm not going to touch it this year other than nursing it back to health. We have another cold spell for the next two weeks so they're both in the garage under lights. I'm starting to think I jumped in on the Azaleas to quick, but I am learning what not to do rather quickly. Thanks for asking DSD.

MTM gets the bends.

 

[snowman04]

All of my azaleas are in shallow bonsai pots outside all year round and lightly mulched in the winter, some nights it gets around 10 degree here last few years and they have been fine. Im just too lazy to give them extra care thats all lol.

We get a lot colder here in Lower Michigan. We have to deal with sub-zero for many nights... I put all my deciduous trees in the garage with lights and I still have lost a few...

 

[vp999]

We get a lot colder here in Lower Michigan. We have to deal with sub-zero for many nights... I put all my deciduous trees in the garage with lights and I still have lost a few...

Yes...DC cold is nothing compares to Michigan.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Yes...DC cold is nothing compares to Michigan.

We welcomed in spring today.

 

[vp999]

We welcomed in spring today.

View attachment 535687

U sure its not Florida ????

 

[namnhi]

U sure its not Florida ????

Nice white sand beach!

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

U sure its not Florida ????

Yep, I hit a pothole on I-75 and I didn't see an alligator smoking meth. Just a rat smoking crack.

I took that pic at work in downtown Detroit.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Do these Azaleas work well as bonsai? @Deep Sea Diver @Glaucus

Azalea 'Golden Lights' Yellow Orange Blooms
Deciduous Azalea
Northern Lights Hybrid
Zones 3-7
LINK

Azalea 'Astronaut' White Variegated Blooms
Evergreen Azalea With White Variegated Blooms
HOLLY SPRINGS HYBRID
Zones 6b-9
LINK

Azalea 'Snow' White Blooms
Evergreen Azalea -
Kurume Hybrid
Zones 6-8
LINK

 

[roberthu]

Yeah, I was water about once every 2-3 weeks. I was worried about overwatering them.

I water my azalea almost daily outside of winter and I water at lease 2 times a week in winter...
2-3 times a week is going to kill almost all potted trees...
I use Kanuma though so the watering frequency is a little different.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I water my azalea almost daily outside of winter and I water at lease 2 times a week in winter...
2-3 times a week is going to kill almost all potted trees...
I use Kanuma though so the watering frequency is a little different.

Yeah, I messed up. When I checked the pots, they still felt heavy & damp to the touch. I was afraid of overwatering them while they were dormant. I no longer have that fear, but the potting soil was throwing me off. I'll chalk it up to a learning experience.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

The northern Lights will definitely survive, only issue is large flowers/leaves. The other two are fine azaleas, just edgy for your zone as once potted figure losing at least one usda zone. If you choose a—- Lights azalea look for the ones with the smallest height, leavesand bloom.

There are a couple cold hardy hybrid azaleas I’ve been experimenting with for the past three years, hard cut backs, back budding, ramification, flowering etcetc. They both have passed the stress test here.… you might search around for these if you are interested. Check around for a good price soon as they are out of stock fairly quick.

Bixby dwarf

Janet Rhea of its hybrid(s). Janet Rhea itself can be hard to find. Might call Ronnie Palmer at Azalea hill gardens. If anyone would know how the locate it would be him…

It’s best to root wash as soon as the weather is clear into kanuma. Then overwatering is very hard to do!

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

The northern Lights will definitely survive, only issue is large flowers/leaves. The other two are fine azaleas, just edgy for your zone as once potted figure losing at least one usda zone. If you choose a—- Lights azalea look for the ones with the smallest height, leavesand bloom.

There are a couple cold hardy hybrid azaleas I’ve been experimenting with for the past three years, hard cut backs, back budding, ramification, flowering etcetc. They both have passed the stress test here.… you might search around for these if you are interested. Check around for a good price soon as they are out of stock fairly quick.

Bixby dwarf

Janet Rhea of its hybrid(s). Janet Rhea itself can be hard to find. Might call Ronnie Palmer at Azalea hill gardens. If anyone would know how the locate it would be him…

It’s best to root wash as soon as the weather is clear into kanuma. Then overwatering is very hard to do!

Cheers
DSD sends

Nice. Thank you sir I'll look into those.

 

[vp999]

I water my azalea almost daily outside of winter and I water at lease 2 times a week in winter...
2-3 times a week is going to kill almost all potted trees...
I use Kanuma though so the watering frequency is a little different.

Actually... prior to this year I dont water my trees at all in the winter because I read some members dont water their trees at all in the winter when I first got into the hobby, just rain and snow, I didn't really lose any trees the past 3-4 years in the winter. This year I just started to water a couple weeks ago once a week because I read that you're supposed to water your trees in the winter lol. Where I am is much colder than where you are and we get rain almost at least one a week and I mulched all my trees so it keeps the soil moist much longer til the next rain fall.

A lot of time the outside hose is frozen solid and it's not fun watering in the winter at all lol.

 

[roberthu]

Actually... prior to this year I dont water my trees at all in the winter because I read some members dont water their trees at all in the winter when I first got into the hobby, just rain and snow, I didn't really lose any trees the past 3-4 years in the winter. This year I just started to water a couple weeks ago once a week because I read that you're supposed to water your trees in the winter lol. Where I am is much colder than where you are and we get rain almost at least one a week and I mulched all my trees so it keeps the soil moist much longer til the next rain fall.

A lot of time the outside hose is frozen solid and it's not fun watering in the winter at all lol.

True you are in a much colder place than I am. Raining once a week should be enough. I think what happened is the dense foliage of the azalea blocked a lot of rain and the water actually fell out of the pot. Over time, the peat based soil got too dry to let water soak up. I have had this happen when I first got into bonsai over a decade ago. That was actually what pushed me over the fence to get the fancy Japanese soil...

 

[Glaucus]

Do these Azaleas work well as bonsai? @Deep Sea Diver @Glaucus

'Golden Lights is a deciduous azalea and therefore very different. It is not anything like a satsuki bonsai you see from the US. I suspect they are much harder to style because they have an open upright habit with very large leaves.
It is very hardy, certainly to zone 5.

'Astronaut' is an American satsuki, but it is a very large flower. So very much a flower tower type.

'Snow' is probably the easiest to manage into a small bonsai.

Personally, I'd go for 'Astronaut' and figure out how to grow it tall.

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

'Golden Lights is a deciduous azalea and therefore very different. It is not anything like a satsuki bonsai you see from the US. I suspect they are much harder to style because they have an open upright habit with very large leaves.
It is very hardy, certainly to zone 5.

'Astronaut' is an American satsuki, but it is a very large flower. So very much a flower tower type.

'Snow' is probably the easiest to manage into a small bonsai.

Personally, I'd go for 'Astronaut' and figure out how to grow it tall.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.