Rhododendron Indicum "Kangiten" (Satsuki Azalea) #104

[Orion_metalhead]

Obtained in recent club auction. The tree was donated by Bob from Kifu Bonsai. It is a nice little Satsuki Azalea variety Kangiten.

@Glaucus If you have any recommendations or knowledge of specific care for this variety or satsuki in general I would be appreciative as I know you are an expert with this species.

Right now Im just going to leave on my bilco stairs which stays cold but does not drop below freezing.

 

[Glaucus]

Yes, I have this variety. It is quite a new variety so I cannot really comment a lot on it. I would say it is quite typical for a narrow leaf satsuki. I would say it is a flower-based variety in that the foliage quality is completely mundane.
The flowers are actually a bit larger than I expected. They are not small at all.

I believe I got 2 plants from the same Japanese nursery (but a different variety). I am trying to remember how it looked when I repotted. It is a cheap plastic pot.
When spring comes, I think I would repot this. Also based on the amount of moss. Then, you know it is in fresh kanuma and you don't have to worry about that for a few years.
Then at the same time, you can clean up those branches and wire the ones you decide to keep in place. Probably by putting them horizontal. Keeping branches on the outside of the bend, that sort of basic design setup.
And then you can just let it grow for a year or 2 and enjoy some flowers and then go from there.

It sound be able to take a good amount of frost, but maybe you are indeed best off keeping it in a sheltered place where it doesn't freeze.
But when you get a real zone 7a cold spell, you definitely want protect potted satsuki.
This variety in Japan can probably take zone 7a no problem as a garden plant. But I imagine NYS winters at zone 7a are harsher than zone 7a winters in Europe or Japan.

Good to see someone importing small satsuki of new varieties into the US.

 

[shinmai]

Beautiful trunk movement. Lots of potential for side branching, too.
The definitive resource for satsuki care is Rick Garcia’s book.