Is there any hope for my satsuki azalea?

[sat.suki]

Hey everyone. I'm very inexperienced, and this is my satsuki azalea. I ran into her at a shop, shop owner didn't know what kind of plant it was. I came home, googled it and learned it was a satsuki. I've had this plant for about 8 months. I've done a lot of research on the internet, repotted it, it flowered twice. Beautiful white flowers with little pinks at the edges. It stays outside 90% in partial shade. I recently had surgery so I'm not mobile and will not be for a while, so I had my husband look after it. I carefully instructed him about everything I could think of but, he admitted he didn't "think of looking up at the leaves" when taking care of it. I entered the room to find a burned up crust of what my beloved plant used to be. Imagine the shock. I'm a noob but I really loved this tree, I had a lot of plans with it once I got up on my feet. Made me interested in the art of bonsai. Etc etc. Anyways my heart is broken and I don't think it could be salvaged but being really inexperienced I still have to ask, is there anything I can do to bring it back to life? All leaves are crusty and hard. Stems are still bendy though. I took it inside yesterday when I saw it, and then moved it to a shady, cooler and more humid part of the house. I try to moisture it every once in a while, there's also a moisture machine (don't know what they're called, not a native english speaker, sorry) in the room it's in. I googled it but I couldn't find any sources that adress what to do in a situation like this. I really want to salvage it somehow even if it's like a deadwood type of situation. I really bonded with it. Took care of it every day until my surgery and all.

I don't know how long it's been like this, husband says he's sure it looked fine a week ago.

thanks for any help in advance.

 

[rockm]

Satsukis should be outside. They will not survive indoors--not enough humidity, light or air movement--even with a humidifier. Your location is extremely important to giving advice on what you need to do. It should be outside in partial morning sun and afternoon shade.

This one looks to have dried out. It might be capable of coming back, BUT satsukis are shallow rooted, with most of the roots in the top two inches of soil, not deep in the pot. That means they can dry out quickly. Once they dry out, they mostly die or die back. You can insure the pot stays moist (not soggy from constant watering), and wait to see if the plant resprouts--all the dried out foliage is not coming back.

Satsuki Azalea Bonsai

Learn everything there is to know about Satsuki Azalea Bonsai, their origin, care information, where you can purchase one of your own, and more.

bonsaimirai.com

 

[Paradox]

Hi, welcome to the forum.
First of all the leaves on this look like a karume azalea, not satsuki. Karumes are beautiful plants in their own right though.

Second, if this has been inside your house, that alone could have led to its deterioration. Azaleas are outdoor plants and need to be outside.

I think there is hope. I would put it outside in a shady spot and water it when it needs it: ie when the soil is almost dry and hope for the best.

A good way to tell/learn when it needs water is to put a wooden chopstick or dowel in the pot and leave it there. Pull it out once a day and look at it. Water the tree when it is almost dry but not totally dry.

Another thing you should do is after it is done flowering, you take a pair of scissors and cut the seed pods off. This stops the tree from putting energy into seeds and more into growth where we want it.

Rockm posted while I was typing. Please put your location on your profile

 

[sat.suki]

Satsukis should be outside. They will not survive indoors--not enough humidity, light or air movement--even with a humidifier. Your location is extremely important to giving advice on what you need to do. It should be outside in partial morning sun and afternoon shade.

This one looks to have dried out. It might be capable of coming back, BUT satsukis are shallow rooted, with most of the roots in the top two inches of soil, not deep in the pot. That means they can dry out quickly. Once they dry out, they mostly die or die back. You can insure the pot stays moist (not soggy from constant watering), and wait to see if the plant resprouts--all the dried out foliage is not coming back.

Satsuki Azalea Bonsai

Learn everything there is to know about Satsuki Azalea Bonsai, their origin, care information, where you can purchase one of your own, and more.

bonsaimirai.com

It is outside.read my post please. I took it inside because it is very hot and I thought it would be more stressful for it to try and manage it while it's so hot.

Thanks for the info.

 

[sat.suki]

Hi, welcome to the forum.
First of all the leaves on this look like a karume azalea, not satsuki. Karumes are beautiful plants in their own right though.

Second, if this has been inside your house, that alone could have led to its deterioration. Azaleas are outdoor plants and need to be outside.

I think there is hope. I would put it outside in a shady spot and water it when it needs it: ie when the soil is almost dry and hope for the best.

Hey, thanks!

Leaves looked different when healthy. I can show you a healthy picture if you'd like? It's quite possible I was wrong, it just looked quite.. different than now. Doesn't matter if it's jot an satsuki but, I'd like to be accurate while identifying.

This is an outside plant in %90 partial shade. I took it inside to a cooler room with a humidifier because of the situation. I said that in my post, guess have to be clearer.

There's a heatwave though and where I live there's almost zero humidity at this point the year. Are you sure it's better to keep it outside right now? Isn't it more stressful?

Thanks for the hope!

 

[Paradox]

Hey, thanks!

Leaves looked different when healthy. I can show you a healthy picture if you'd like? It's quite possible I was wrong, it just looked quite.. different than now. Doesn't matter if it's jot an satsuki but, I'd like to be accurate while identifying.

This is an outside plant in %90 partial shade. I took it inside to a cooler room with a humidifier because of the situation. I said that in my post, guess have to be clearer.

There's a heatwave though and where I live there's almost zero humidity at this point the year. Are you sure it's better to keep it outside right now? Isn't it more stressful?

Thanks for the hope!

We have no idea where you are so please do put your location on your profile.

I know one thing for sure is that it will die inside. Yes it needs to be outside. The plant is very stressed right now which is why I said to put it in a shady spot. If lack of water is the reason youll need to keep an eye on it using the chopstick as I suggested and water it more if necessary

Azalea are understory plants an can tolerate some shade. If/when it recovers, I'd recommend a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade

 

[penumbra]

You have been given some excellent advice but I would be reluctant to give any myself without knowing your location.

 

[sat.suki]

We have no idea where you are so please do put your location on your profile.

I know one thing for sure is that it will die inside. Yes it needs to be outside. The plant is very stressed right now which is why I said to put it in a shady spot. If lack of water is the reason youll need to keep an eye on it using the chopstick as I suggested and water it more if necessary

Azalea are understory plants an can tolerate some shade. If/when it recovers, I'd recommend a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade

I'm not comfortable sharing my location. Is there some database you're looking at? Because I don't think you'll have better information than I do about the weather in my small middle eastern city.

Very low humidity, very hot, no wind at this time of year. Temperature can be up to 40°C during the day. If there's anything else you need to know I'll be glad to answer. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[rockm]

I'm not comfortable sharing my location. Is there some database you're looking at? Because I don't think you'll have better information than I do about the weather in my small middle eastern city.

Very low humidity, very hot, no wind at this time of year. Temperature can be up to 40°C during the day. If there's anything else you need to know I'll be glad to answer. Thanks for the suggestions!

Understand about your location. Low humidity, hot is pretty much azalea hell. As said, azalea are understory plants, growing best on cool, open shade with cool soil.

Azaleas will be difficult to keep where you are. Best advice is to keep it shaded and humid as much as possible. Put a wet towel over the pot and the surface of the soil to keep the roots humid. Keep the towel moist, but not dripping. The evaporation will help cool the plant a bit as well.

There is no database we look at for location BTW. It is a field in the avatar. Location is a very important piece of keeping bonsai. What works for one species in one area of the globe, will kill it in another.

FWIW, a better species for your dry, hot region is probably a juniper. They can handle such conditions. Bougainvillea is another tough customer for hot weather and it blooms A LOT.

 

[sat.suki]

Understand about your location. Low humidity, hot is pretty much azalea hell. As said, azalea are understory plants, growing best on cool, open shade with cool soil.

Azaleas will be difficult to keep where you are. Best advice is to keep it shaded and humid as much as possible. Put a wet towel over the pot and the surface of the soil to keep the roots humid. Keep the towel moist, but not dripping. The evaporation will help cool the plant a bit as well.

There is no database we look at for location BTW. It is a field in the avatar. Location is a very important piece of keeping bonsai. What works for one species in one area of the globe, will kill it in another.

FWIW, a better species for your dry, hot region is probably a juniper. They can handle such conditions. Bougainvillea is another tough customer for hot weather and it blooms A LOT.

A better suited one to this climate would be my go to as well but I got this plant totally by coincidence. I bought it, came home, did a lil research. People did NOT suggest this species to a first timer haha. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try them and come back with a thanks if I can make it work.

 

[jradics]

I'm not comfortable sharing my location. Is there some database you're looking at? Because I don't think you'll have better information than I do about the weather in my small middle eastern city.

Very low humidity, very hot, no wind at this time of year. Temperature can be up to 40°C during the day. If there's anything else you need to know I'll be glad to answer. Thanks for the suggestions!

there are reasons for being
vague and careful with your identity and location that we don't have to worry about here in the US. But the info is helpful in diagnosing problems. Pick a city 100 miles from you and that should suffice. The advise you've been given is good. Azaleas are not house plants. Maybe get a sarge saucer, put a few pebbles in it and fill with water. the pebbles will keep the plant from sitting in water and the evaporation will add some local humidity. Good luck with your journey and if the azalea doesn't make it, dig up a local plant and work with that. cheers

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Welcome Aboard BonsaiNut!

So sorry about your surgery and the issues with your plant. I hope you are well on the road to recovery now!

This azalea is definitely an ICU patient at present, but all hope may not be lost yet . It looks typical of a water stressed azalea, droopy, leathery leaves. No telling if it will recover at this point.

Usually this situation occurs when the core of the media has dried out. (This can occur with most any media Kanuma to peat… although less likely with the former and easier to correct btw)

No amount of regular watering will solve this issue. In this case the usual ‘Azalea ER treatment’ is to fully soak the pot in water up to the soil level for a number of hours. Usually about 6-12. If the azalea is destined to survive, the leaves will begin to perk up over the next day. In serious cases only a few will hydrate. If the plant is too desiccated not much more can be done at this stage.

Not sure if it’s a Satsuki, Kurume, or other hybrid. There are too many morphological variations to tell.

As far as your climate and azaleas . High heat and low humidity are normally considered counter indications to keeping azaleas in a healthy condition. It is possible to do, yet imho one would need specialized care and knowledge keep these healthy.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Gabler]

I'm not comfortable sharing my location. Is there some database you're looking at? Because I don't think you'll have better information than I do about the weather in my small middle eastern city.

"Middle Eastern Desert" is probably enough information for most purposes. Nobody here cares to know your exact mailing address unless you buy something and they need to ship it to you.

 

[Paradox]

I'm not comfortable sharing my location. Is there some database you're looking at? Because I don't think you'll have better information than I do about the weather in my small middle eastern city.

Very low humidity, very hot, no wind at this time of year. Temperature can be up to 40°C during the day. If there's anything else you need to know I'll be glad to answer. Thanks for the suggestions!

I understand.
We arent asking for your house address, or even what town. What country you are in is fine.

Bonsai advice is sometimes dependent on location. It helps us give you the best advice without having to repeatedly ask every time you post.

Ok you said you're in the middle east, that's good enough.

As others have said, hot and dry is very difficult for azaleas

 

[Glaucus]

I'd say it is a Belgian Indica, that it looks dead to almost dead, and that is is very hard to grow satsuki (or any azalea) in a 'middle eastern desert'.

Not sure what more to add, to be honest.

I think I would prune everything off, put it inside a bag, put it indoors without direct sunlight, and see if there is any life in it yet.

I once send seed to someone in Israel, trying to grow satsuki, because they couldn't buy one. I think they had a AC'ed greenhouse. Didn't hear back from them if they had any luck.

 

[sat.suki]

Welcome Aboard BonsaiNut!

So sorry about your surgery and the issues with your plant. I hope you are well on the road to recovery now!

This azalea is definitely an ICU patient at present, but all hope may not be lost yet . It looks typical of a water stressed azalea, droopy, leathery leaves. No telling if it will recover at this point.

Usually this situation occurs when the core of the media has dried out. (This can occur with most any media Kanuma to peat… although less likely with the former and easier to correct btw)

No amount of regular watering will solve this issue. In this case the usual ‘Azalea ER treatment’ is to fully soak the pot in water up to the soil level for a number of hours. Usually about 6-12. If the azalea is destined to survive, the leaves will begin to perk up over the next day. In serious cases only a few will hydrate. If the plant is too desiccated not much more can be done at this stage.

Not sure if it’s a Satsuki, Kurume, or other hybrid. There are too many morphological variations to tell.

As far as your climate and azaleas . High heat and low humidity are normally considered counter indications to keeping azaleas in a healthy condition. It is possible to do, yet imho one would need specialized care and knowledge keep these healthy.

cheers
DSD sends

It's slow but I am getting better, thanks for asking! I did the towel thing another commenter suggested. After a few hours I found a couple of soft leaves. Not sure if they were there before. That kinda gave me hope - I'll try soaking as well. Thanks a bunch!

I know that indoor plants are no-go in bonsai. My plant was an outdoor plant but I have read that you could take it indoors if the situation gets too extreme outside. Other commenters said that it should stay outside no matter what. I'm confused, should I keep it outside even if the temperatures are too high, etc? Weather is not like this all year round and it was doing pretty good outside. It probably needs to be inside during the heat wave, for about 3 or so weeks. Would it be that harmful to the plant? If so, could you elaborate why? Thanks!

 

[sat.suki]

"Middle Eastern Desert" is probably enough information for most purposes. Nobody here cares to know your exact mailing address unless you buy something and they need to ship it to you.

If you can understand 'middle eastern desert' from what I said what's the point of this comment? Please dont put words in my mouth, I never said that. I just said I was uncomfortable, and I don't have to explain that. You can stop commenting if you don't want to help any more. No need to go into negativity. Thanks anyways.

 

[sat.suki]

I'd say it is a Belgian Indica, that it looks dead to almost dead, and that is is very hard to grow satsuki (or any azalea) in a 'middle eastern desert'.

Not sure what more to add, to be honest.

I think I would prune everything off, put it inside a bag, put it indoors without direct sunlight, and see if there is any life in it yet.

I once send seed to someone in Israel, trying to grow satsuki, because they couldn't buy one. I think they had a AC'ed greenhouse. Didn't hear back from them if they had any luck.

Thank you!

 

[sat.suki]

there are reasons for being
vague and careful with your identity and location that we don't have to worry about here in the US. But the info is helpful in diagnosing problems. Pick a city 100 miles from you and that should suffice. The advise you've been given is good. Azaleas are not house plants. Maybe get a sarge saucer, put a few pebbles in it and fill with water. the pebbles will keep the plant from sitting in water and the evaporation will add some local humidity. Good luck with your journey and if the azalea doesn't make it, dig up a local plant and work with that. cheers

Well thanks for being understanding. I did not give a location but provided information about it and offered to add extra info if needed. I don't know why this isn't enough and everybody is dwelling on it. I'll soak the plant today. Also, my plant is an outdoor plant which I said in my post and several other comments. Thanks for the tip

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

It's slow but I am getting better, thanks for asking! I did the towel thing another commenter suggested. After a few hours I found a couple of soft leaves. Not sure if they were there before. That kinda gave me hope - I'll try soaking as well. Thanks a bunch!

You are welcome.

I know that indoor plants are no-go in bonsai. My plant was an outdoor plant but I have read that you could take it indoors if the situation gets too extreme outside. Other commenters said that it should stay outside no matter what. I'm confused, should I keep it outside even if the temperatures are too high, etc? Weather is not like this all year round and it was doing pretty good outside. It probably needs to be inside during the heat wave, for about 3 or so weeks. Would it be that harmful to the plant? If so, could you elaborate why? Thanks!

There are lots of variations between inside and out. Some folks put their azaleas out in the early morning sun if the temperatures are not too extreme. If one must bring the azalea inside for a brief time, nothing extra is needed to be done.

Once weeks are involved, an inexpensive led lighting system and small fan would be in order for times the plant is inside. Normally three weeks would be fine given indirect lighting besides the led and the inside temperatures are in the 80’s or below.

Cheers
DSD sends