My "disappointing" azalea

[Fidur]

There are no proper azaleas where I live. In fact this is the first I could buy (and probably the last I will be able to buy). Seller told me it was a rodhodendrum indicum and it had pink flowers.....and that's all the information he provided.
Anyway, I bought it last november:



It came on kanuma soil, and I've been caring for it the last 8 months ,watering (rain water), fertilizing ,.... It's been growing all this time and this is how it looks right now:



What is disappointing is that I've never seen a flower bud.

When spring came nothing happened, and now as we enter the summer nothing is happening. At first I thought it could be one of those varieties with late blooming, but now I'm coming to think the seller could have removed this year's flower buds (if that makes any sense).
My experience with azaleas is zero, and maybe I've missed some important details....

So, what do you think is going on with it?

 

[keyfen06]

If you bought it in November, then the previous grower may have removed the flower buds that formed in mid-late summer meaning that you wouldn't have had any flowers this year. You can look at the base of shoots to see if there are any flower buds, but if there aren't then its likely that they were removed or the tree was pruned quite late into summer. Look out for any flower buds developing this year and hopefully they should bloom next year!

 

[Paradox]

I agree with keyfen. The picture from November does not show any developing flower buds. The tree looks quite thin in foliage at that time so I'd think it would have been trimmed.

It has filled out quite nicely though

 

[Glaucus]

What Keyfen06 and Paradox said.
It ought to develop flower buds at the new shoots you have growing at some point. A bigger question is if there is enough of a winter to trigger them to all flower at the same time.

Long mature growth combined with a shortening day length will trigger flower bud formation.

 

[Rivian]

If youre not set on buying in person only, maybe you have friends or family on the continent that can receive your order for you?

 

[Fidur]

If youre not set on buying in person only, maybe you have friends or family on the continent that can receive your order for you?

No, it's forbidden. Only some species (with health certificate) can enter in the island, and you have to have importer license. Only way to get plants is through nurseries (or barerooted in a suitcase coming by plane )

What Keyfen06 and Paradox said.
It ought to develop flower buds at the new shoots you have growing at some point. A bigger question is if there is enough of a winter to trigger them to all flower at the same time.

Long mature growth combined with a shortening day length will trigger flower bud formation.

So, when and where should I prune to develope it (and get flowers...) ?

 

[Glaucus]

No, it's forbidden. Only some species (with health certificate) can enter in the island, and you have to have importer license. Only way to get plants is through nurseries (or barerooted in a suitcase coming by plane )

Maybe seeds are an option?

So, when and where should I prune to develope it (and get flowers...) ?

Those are two different questions. If you do nothing, you should get flowers next season.
If you prune mid summer, you won't get flowers on the new growth in response to pruning.
With your growing season, that may even be shifted to late summer or early autumn. Does it grow all throughout winter?

If you prune, you may prune to get more ramification. Which means you prune new shoots back to 2 leaves. Timing for this type of pruning is right now.
Or you may prune some shoots off completely, while keeping others and maybe even wire them in place, to set up the basic structure of the foliage pads better.
And work on ramification of that foliage pad structure in the coming years.

Depends on your ambition, your goal, your bonsai skill and artistic vision for this tree, etc.

That said, I am not really impressed by the length of the shoots you have, considering you are in zone 12 and considering the plant looks very healthy.
When did the growing season start for you? It depends on a lot of factors, but getting shoots of 10 to 20 cm isn't unheard of.

Just observing how it grows might be a better option. You can always prune back next year after flowering.

BTW, it is not rhododendron indicum. Those have narrow leaves. May be a satsuki hybrid though.
But considering your climate, a Belgian indica seems more likely.

 

[Rivian]

If I was in zone 12 I would research which satsuki grow on tropical islands and then try to import them.
Those tend to be fast growers with large leaves
Avoid northern types

 

[Fidur]

Does it grow all throughout winter?



That said, I am not really impressed by the length of the shoots you have, considering you are in zone 12 and considering the plant looks very healthy.
When did the growing season start for you? It depends on a lot of factors, but getting shoots of 10 to 20 cm isn't unheard of.

Yes, it growed in winter (at slow pace) and accelerated in May.
Anyway I'm either impressed with that growing. I (probably a mistake) pruned a month ago the stronger shoots (wich made 3 new shots in each). I can see it is still growing strong.
It's a tiny tree and my aim is to keep it so, but I have to see the shape and size of the flowers to decide. So I will wait for those flowers to exist and bloom before I make a decision on the direction I will follow for the tree......
Thanks for your help!

 

[Shibui]

Like many spring flowering species the embryonic flower buds start forming around 6-8 months before flowers open. They are at the tips of shoots even before we can see them so easily removed by mistake when trimming to tidy the tree.
Down here we must stop pruning in February which is last month of summer. Trimming after that time will take away the developing buds so no flowers next spring (September/October here). No trimming from end of summer right through winter and into spring until flowers open. That can make the tree look straggly and untidy so I guess nurseries will often trim to tidy and then you get no flowers.

There can be other reasons for azaleas not flowering but it sounds like you are doing the right things. My guess is either trimming after buds forming or it does not like the climate there. There is usually a reason why it is hard to buy some particular types of plants in an area.

See how it goes next season. Just let it grow with no trimming at all for a full year. That will make sure that trimming is not the cause and, hopefully you can find what season azaleas might flower there. That will help work out when to trim and when not.
Need to work out the cycles in your area and when trimming is OK and when buds are forming and it is too late to trim.