Wakaebisu azalea

[Steve Kudela]

This one is looking pretty good this year, so I thought I'd show it. Tell me what you think. It's an older Wakaebisu approximately 40 yo. I've had it in cultivation 28, 29 years. It stands 30 inches tall with a 2 inch trunk. Entirely container grown. 1st pic after last season, 2nd pic after hard cutback and wiring but before repotting, 3 pic after repotting and 1st flush of growth. It's getting ready to bloom as you can see. After bloom, I'll prune it again, mainly in the top. Wakaebisu is different than most Satsuki's in that they are not laterally dominant, it grows well from top to bottom.The branches are a little out of proportion thickness wise but I'm not gonna sweat it too much. May end up removing them all and starting over with all new branches, what do you think? I'm listening. Thanks again for allowing me to post.

 

[quietobserver]

Great tree. Wakaebisu, grow well and tough as nails, what's not to like.

 

[VAFisher]

I like it a lot. Personally, I would really consider making it a little shorter - but it looks great tall as well.

 

[johng]

Nice tree Steve! Base looks excellent...

 

[rockm]

Since my azalea (Shiro ebisu) is a white sport of Waka, can I assume it is also not laterally dominant?

Still weighing whether to give it a hard cutback after repotting...

Your tree is pretty cool, BTW. Nice nebari and I would NOT remove any of the branching.

 

[j evans]

I like it, a bit tall but really nice overall composition.

 

[Don Blackmond]

I'd put it in a deeper pot. Looks good. Not your prototypical satsuki look, which I like.

 

[quietobserver]

I like it a lot. Personally, I would really consider making it a little shorter - but it looks great tall as well.

I agree on reducing it by the top 'section', 4" or whatever it is. But, sometimes the tree photographs odd and doesn't look the same in person. Great tree regardless!

 

[sorce]

1st pic sucks...
Second is better....
Third makes me think, with flowers...
1st pic might not suck...

But the quality of the pic still does!



I know....the flowers....blah blah blah....

I like trees. Flower shows are for Grandma!

Plus....you got like $6,000 worth of cutting to sell up there!

Sorce

 

[Steve Kudela]

Great tree. Wakaebisu, grow well and tough as nails, what's not to like.

Thank you Sir!

 

[Steve Kudela]

I like it a lot. Personally, I would really consider making it a little shorter - but it looks great tall as well.

Thank you as well Sir. There is a place to shorten it, I'm going to think about it for awhile. It would possibly enhance the overall candle flame shape. Thanks again for your observation!

 

[Steve Kudela]

Nice tree Steve! Base looks excellent...

Thank you so much John!

 

[Steve Kudela]

Since my azalea (Shiro ebisu) is a white sport of Waka, can I assume it is also not laterally dominant?

Still weighing whether to give it a hard cutback after repotting...

Your tree is pretty cool, BTW. Nice nebari and I would NOT remove any of the branching.

I'd be willing to bet that it shares the same characteristics, but without watching it for awhile, I'd be a little hesitant to set it in stone. This is actually the first time I've heard of that cultivar. Have seen a number of sports of non Satsuki azaleas that don't behave the same way as it's parent. Just watch it over the next couple of years, it'll show itself. Thank you Sir for your comments!

 

[Steve Kudela]

I like it, a bit tall but really nice overall composition.

Thank you Sir, in person it doesn't appear quite as tall. I do wish the trunk was another inch wider. Oh well, give it 30 more years!

 

[Steve Kudela]

I'd put it in a deeper pot. Looks good. Not your prototypical satsuki look, which I like.

Thank you Don! I put it in that pot about 4 years ago kind of on a lark. Sort of reminds me of a nanban pot. It's done well in it. Would you suggest maybe an inch or so deeper? Glad you like it!

 

[Steve Kudela]

I agree on reducing it by the top 'section', 4" or whatever it is. But, sometimes the tree photographs odd and doesn't look the same in person. Great tree regardless!

Thank you much Sir! I've only started photographing my trees within the last couple of years and it has proved difficult to say the least. As stated above, there is a good place for reduction, actually about 3 inches down. I'm gonna give it consideration. In person it doesn't appear quite as tall. Thanks again!

 

[Steve Kudela]

1st pic sucks...
Second is better....
Third makes me think, with flowers...
1st pic might not suck...

But the quality of the pic still does!

View attachment 103223

I know....the flowers....blah blah blah....

I like trees. Flower shows are for Grandma!

Plus....you got like $6,000 worth of cutting to sell up there!

Sorce

Egad's man!!!!.......................................In all seriousness, I'm after the tree shape before flowers. Thanks for commenting Sir.

 

[Don Blackmond]

Thank you Don! I put it in that pot about 4 years ago kind of on a lark. Sort of reminds me of a nanban pot. It's done well in it. Would you suggest maybe an inch or so deeper? Glad you like it!

Generally, Satsuki do better in deeper pots. Roots stay cooler and moist longer. Plus, I'm not a fan of mounded soil. Your trunk thickness and tree design does lend itself to that pot style/look (but not color) though.

 

[Adair M]

Steve,

There's several "schools" of satsuki bonsai. One school has it that the purpose of satsuki is the flower show is foremost. The other school has it that satsuki make good bonsai, and they just happen to flower.

Your tree appears to fall smack dab in the middle! Between the two schools!

At this point, however, I think training it like the "flower display" school is the better option.

Here are examples of what I mean:



See how they're tall and somewhat columnar? That's what you have. When these are grown, they start with a whip, and wire them to have curves when the ship is flexible. Your trunk is not at all flexible, and it's very straight in sections. The more you can hide it, the better.

I would try to develop branches with dense pads, allowing them to obscure the trunk in several places.

The branches you have are spaced. The better for showing the flowers.

An example of the other school would be like this:



This tree has a more impressive, massive, tapering trunk. Traditionally developed branches, and the flowering is reduced to being an accent rather than the dominant feature.

I don't think your tree lends itself to this style as well as it does the other.

 

[Adair M]

And, by the way, the "flower show" school appears to favor the round deeper pots. I agree that yours is mounded WAY too high.