The Bay Area Satsuki Aikokai held its 24th annual exhibit last weekend at the Lake Merritt Garden Center in Oakland, California. And thanks to the weather this spring, the timing of the exhibit was perfect for seeing azaleas in full bloom. Osakazuki Sachi no Tsukasa Many of the flowers were familiar, but an equal number […]
Satsuki
Determining flower color by looking at the foliage – satsuki azalea
I sometimes come across satsuki azaleas of unknown varieties. Although it’s nice to know what the flowers will look like, it can be fun to wait and see what colors show up in spring when the tree blooms. Young satsuki azalea In the meantime, I can make rudimentary assumptions about the flowers based on the […]
Repotting exposed root satsuki azalea bonsai
Here’s an example of an exposed root azalea that has been bare-rooted. Exposed root ‘Korin’ satsuki azalea – 19″ from top to bottom These trees can be tricky to repot as they lack a solid rootball to tie down. Exposed roots One of the best ways to secure trees with good roots but no rootball […]
Working soil into the roots below the trunk – repotting field-grown satsuki
Satsuki bonsai are commonly bare-rooted when they are dug from the field. These trees can have lots of fine roots under the trunk that can make repotting difficult. Bare root satsuki azalea ‘Hanabin’ Lots of roots under the trunk Simply setting the tree into a mound of soil can lead to air pockets in which […]
Fall color on satsuki azaleas
It’s not uncommon to spot fall color on broadleaf evergreen species like satsuki azalea. As azaleas focus their resources on newer foliage, the older foliage can turn orange, red, purple, or yellow. Most of the satsuki in my garden have dark green foliage, but some sport brighter colors. Shisen with green and yellow leaves I’m not […]