Planting Azalea Bonsai

azalea bonsai care

Azaleas bonasi are becoming more popular as bonsai plants. This is primarily due to the fact that they offer an impressive flower and are far less tender than most tropical plants. While they aren’t as winter hardy as some plants like the conifers, you can let them grow outside during the summer and bring them in during the winter for the best results. These flowering beauties normally flaunt their color during May.

Types of Azalea Plants

The most common of the azalea bonsai tree to use is the Satsuki azalea bonsai. These types of flowers are by far the most popular in Japan to use as bonsai. The bonsai satsuki azalea is a hybrid that contains many distinct varieties of flowers within the species. They come in a wide variety of sizes and colors and often there are people that devote themselves to simply growing this species.

The Kurume azalea is also another species popular for use as a bonsai. It is a cross between the R kaempferi, R. obusum and R. kiusianum and has a wide range of colors with small funnel shaped flowers.

Soil for bonsai tree azalea

The type of soil used for growing container bonsai azaleas is one of the most important aspects of having a healthy plant. The soil needs to have good drainage, an acidic base of 5.0 to 6.0 and good aeration. One way to accomplish this is to use a combination of 60 percent inorganic matter like perlite, sharp sand or Turface and 40 percent organic material such as pine bark or peat moss. Another good combination is to use 2 parts of peat moss, 2 parts of pine bark and 1 part of pumice.

Watering bonsai azalea

If you have hard water, you should make sure that you use rainwater to adjust for the lime in your water. This changes the acidity. If you need to use hard water, consider adding a teaspoon of vinegar to a gallon of water and using that once every month. Water the plant once a day and keep it moist not soggy.

Fertilizer bonsai azalea

The azaleas need fertilizer but not while they have flowers. When you fertilize the plants, begin in the spring and do it every two weeks until you notice the buds. If you fertilize while the plant flowers, you’ll lose both flowers and buds. After the flowering ceases begin the regime of fertilizing again but only do it once every month. Since this is an acid loving plant, use the fertilizer appropriate for that type of plant.

Cultivation of

Azaleas like a cooler temperature in the summer months but need the warmth and sunlight in the spring. If you keep the area around the azalea moist, the evaporation of the water tends to cool the plant when the sun is hottest.

pruning azalea bonsai and Trimming

The Azalea is slightly different from most plants used for bonsai. It grows most dominantly at the sides and base of the plant rather than at the top. When pruning or trimming the azalea you need harder pruning at the bottom and sides. It responds well to being hard pruned and cut back to a stump after flowering. Don’t do this two years in a row. Also, make sure that you deadhead all flowers and pinch off secondary branches early in the year, at least until mid summer.

Pests

Several pests like the azalea bonsai plant. These include caterpillars, aphids, scale insects and white flies. Be aware that if you spray open flowers with a pesticide, they’ll wilt and fall.

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