Rhododendron indicum "Asuka"

[leatherback]

Over winter I filled the back of my car with rooted satsuki cuttings the owner was getting rid of. In exchange for a few pieces of paper, he let me have a load of trees. He told me it is Rhododendron indicum "Asuka".

Now that they have a few flowers I can see the range of patterns and colors of the flowers. As I do not have other japanese azaleas, I am n new ground. What was the deal again with the flower color and type? The solid colored flowers are the dominant and branches with these should be kept in check?

Any good resources on how the flower color and patterns behave in this one?

 

[Clicio]

Over winter I filled the back of my car with rooted satsuki cuttings the owner was getting rid of. In exchange for a few pieces of paper, he let me have a load of trees. He told me it is Rhododendron indicum "Asuka".

Now that they have a few flowers I can see the range of patterns and colors of the flowers. As I do not have other japanese azaleas, I am n new ground. What was the deal again with the flower color and type? The solid colored flowers are the dominant and branches with these should be kept in check?

Any good resources on how the flower color and patterns behave in this one?

@leatherback , try this:

Azalea Picture Identification Thread

I don't believe there's an azalea picture ID thread here so I figured I would start one. This could help us all with future azalea cultivar identification. Post your flower pic along with the cultivar name. If you know of any other characteristics to that cultivar add that as well. ****One...

www.bonsainut.com

And ask @Glaucus And @Pitoon

 

[leatherback]

try this

Thx @Clicio , but that thread was meant for just identification.

Heads up. This thread is for posting azalea ID photos not about in depth issues and questions.

Thx for linking them in. I was thinking also about asking @Canada Bonsai and @Deep Sea Diver to drop in, as I see them frequently comment on Azaleas.

 

[Glaucus]

'Asuka' is very popular cultivar for flower display trees. It is relatively new, so there are nor many older bonsai. It has large flowers and large leaves. The flowers have elongated petals. 'Asuka' has many sports, but the original 'Asuka' is white with violet variegation. Yes, white flowers will develop violet stripes. Solid coloured flowers will stay that way. But they may have white centers.
So once the solid colours become too dominant, you want to prune that back. And propagate from branches with mostly white flowers.
You might have a few cuttings that are all solid coloured. These are very unlikely to develop colour variation.

I might have only seen the first 'true bonsai' 'Asuka' just a few days ago when they released this year's Kanuma satsuki show:

(timestamped).

Usually, they make meika flower christmas trees out of Asuka and sports.
They had a very impressive 'Asuka Nishiki' at the Ueno Tokyo show:

Which is a two colour form of 'Asuka'. And that one is typical of what the Asuka variety is usually used for.

I can't comment on winter hardiness. I have an Asuka sport in my garden now, so I may be able to comment in a few years on that.
Not sure what info you were looking for. But probably you want to grow tall what you have. Asuka wouldn't be any good at sumo or mame style bonsai. Better use some twin or triple trunk design, an actual flower display design, or something tall that is more bunjin style. Doing dense foliage pads that one can do with Kozan or Osakazuki will be much more of a challenge for an Asuka. So going after the more conifer aesthetic that many satsuki bonsai are able to achieve with Asuka is maybe not the right plan, for now. Once you have a 1m tall 90 year old fat trunk Asuka, you of course can.

 

[leatherback]

'Asuka' is very popular cultivar for flower display trees. It is relatively new, so there are nor many older bonsai. It has large flowers and large leaves. The flowers have elongated petals. 'Asuka' has many sports, but the original 'Asuka' is white with violet variegation. Yes, white flowers will develop violet stripes. Solid coloured flowers will stay that way. But they may have white centers.
So once the solid colours become too dominant, you want to prune that back. And propagate from branches with mostly white flowers.
You might have a few cuttings that are all solid coloured. These are very unlikely to develop colour variation.

I might have only seen the first 'true bonsai' 'Asuka' just a few days ago when they released this year's Kanuma satsuki show:

(timestamped).

Usually, they make meika flower christmas trees out of Asuka and sports.
They had a very impressive 'Asuka Nishiki' at the Ueno Tokyo show:

Which is a two colour form of 'Asuka'. And that one is typical of what the Asuka variety is usually used for.

I can't comment on winter hardiness. I have an Asuka sport in my garden now, so I may be able to comment in a few years on that.
Not sure what info you were looking for. But probably you want to grow tall what you have. Asuka wouldn't be any good at sumo or mame style bonsai. Better use some twin or triple trunk design, an actual flower display design, or something tall that is more bunjin style. Doing dense foliage pads that one can do with Kozan or Osakazuki will be much more of a challenge for an Asuka. So going after the more conifer aesthetic that many satsuki bonsai are able to achieve with Asuka is maybe not the right plan, for now. Once you have a 1m tall 90 year old fat trunk Asuka, you of course can.

Thx a lot.

I JUST ran into another thread on satsuki azalea flowers and what you stated re. flower colour is what I also just read, and was looking for.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

The concise resource on propagation attached might be of benefit and add depth this topic.

I’ve learned from experience that azalea whips can much more easily be bent in the second year, yet strong third year azalea whips are much harder to bend, requiring fine technique and thicker and multiple wires than one would expect.

The azalea whip in my example pictured below would have benefited from thicker wires. It is an example of what not to do. I bent its twin much more easily with a 5mm/4.5mm combination. When in doubt choose large gauges.

Cheers
DSD sends


.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Smaller whips the same advice applies. A couple hints.

Use about 3/4:1 ratio wire:trunk diameter and double up to help prevent breakage. Certain cultivars are more or less brittle…. One learns over time which these are.

cheers
DSD sends

 

[leatherback]

Smaller whips the same advice applies. A couple hints.
View attachment 493144
Use about 3/4:1 ratio wire:trunk diameter and double up to help prevent breakage. Certain cultivars are more or less brittle…. One learns over time which these are.

cheers
DSD sends

ooks like someone is hard at work with his bonsai

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Actually that was last week, I’ve been in Tennessee since. When I get back it’szBend City!

Not the best time, but there are lots to bend!

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Kadebe]

Smaller whips the same advice applies. A couple hints.
View attachment 493144
Use about 3/4:1 ratio wire:trunk diameter and double up to help prevent breakage. Certain cultivars are more or less brittle…. One learns over time which these are.

cheers
DSD sends

`Perhaps you would like to explain here how you go about making such sharp turns?

 

[leatherback]

`Perhaps you would like to explain here how you go about making such sharp turns?

gently and carefully .

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

`Perhaps you would like to explain here how you go about making such sharp turns?

It’sa 2D image of a 3D styling.

Nothing unusual, just the same bending technique used normally except one can’t get away with being sloppy.

Lay the wire well with a light touch. Careful of the bark. Assure there is wire on the back side of a planned bend. Firm, not tight hold on both sides of the bend. Sometimes it’s best to bend less and come back in a couple weeks. Have parafilm handy. Stop when you hear a ‘snick’ align edges and wrap tightly

Practice a lot

Her is a link that folks say have helped. Go into the archives, satsuki lessons. There is some good information there.

Bonsai KOYA Archief | In West Nederland

koya.nl

Cheers
DSD sends

 

[Kadebe]

.... Assure there is wire on the back side of a planned bend. ...

Cheers
DSD sends

Wire on the back of the bend... so this differs from bending other types of trees? There, the wire on the frontside (inside) of the bend acts as a fulcrum and support and on the back side of the bent there's no wire.

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Hmm…

…that would seem to be opposite of how I was taught for a first styling…. not providing support to the bend… Allowing the outside wood, which is under most stress to snap easily?

Interesting..

Best
DSD sends

 

[Glaucus]

45 minutes of satsuki wiring:

Turn of subs, not the best but useful. (And find a way to block out the muzak.)

A branch cannot snap through the wire. So where you put wire, it cannot break. The wire is physically preventing it from breaking at that spot.
So you bend it exactly where the wire crosses. With the wire on the outside of the bend.
If the wire is on the inside of the bend, then on the outside there is no wire. So it can snap unprotected.

Check around 11 minutes.

Note that even when you bend exactly where the wire is, when it does break, it doesn't break where it was bend the most, but it breaks just above/below the wire, even though that section wasn't bend as much..

 

[leatherback]

So you bend it exactly where the wire crosses. With the wire on the outside of the bend.
If the wire is on the inside of the bend, then on the outside there is no wire. So it can snap unprotected.

Check around 11 minutes.

Note that even when you bend exactly where the wire is, when it does break, it doesn't break where it was bend the most, but it breaks just above/below the wire, even though that section wasn't bend as much..

exavtly. Also a reason to use multiple thinner wires around the trunk for more supple wiring.

Does the video show the branch massaging?