Satsuki vs. American nursery azalea.

[WatchMeShove]

I recently came across some satsuki azalea rooted cuttings from a bonsai teacher, which recently bloomed a flower. I actual have nursery stock azaleas too (I think its southern charm azalea), and they happened to bloom one flower each at the same time. The leaves and flowers are almost double in size, and I just wanted to show anyone who has wondered the difference an actual picture. I have seen the two before but actually seeing them next to each other makes the comparison so much easier. The satsuki really is that much more suitable for bonsai. Anyway, I know I'm not really asking a question here but I just thought this was kind of interesting so I put it up. The satsuki is actually in a larger pot ironically, however this is because I'm growing it out as a plant and hope to use it for cuttings when it gets large enough.
[img]https://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac21/watchmeshove/photo27.jpg[/img]

[Marsman]

Thanks for the side-by-side comparison. There really is a big difference. I have a Home Depot 'Various Azalea' type. Yes, that's what it said on the tag, Various Azalea. Don't even know what color it is. But, the leaves are big and it will detract from the bonsai look of it.

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

Actually... a lot of flower and leaf size depends on the maturity of the plant.

In this thread... https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23348 (the current azalea starters thread)

The satsuki has much larger flowers and leaf than the common azalea shown just a bit further down... the difference is that the hino digiri has been in that pot undisturbed for years, and it is very healthy and it's growth is tiny. The flowers are about 1 inch... where as on the satsuki the flowers on the kaho are about 2 inches.

So while it may be true in a juvenile plant... it will change over the course of years.

Kindest regards,

Victrinia

[WatchMeShove]

I have to disagree with you here Victrina. The species you are talking about, 'hino digiri' is actually an american nursery species sold here under the name Azalea 'Karen.' So, in a sense you are right. However, this isn't the normal typical azalea's sold in nurserys around here. Most azaleas sold around here actually have larger flowers like the one in my picture, and the azalea 'karen' is actually more of a rare species. I also have experienced that nursery grown azaleas around here do tend to get larger with age, however when I have seen full grown satsukis, up to 6 feet tall, the flowers DO NOT get bigger than the one in the picture. The flower I have is the exact same size and shape as full grown shrubs with hundreds of flowers.

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

There are I believe over 3000 defined varieties of satsuki... and frankly I have no idea how many azaleas... to compare two varieties can be apples and oranges worth of difference.

What is true is that with pot culture on a mature plant, you can get rediculously reduced leaf size... flower size, as with fruit, has less changeability in any circumstance.

Satsuki are prized as bonsai because they generally have variations between flowers on the same tree... not because they have optimal flower size. In fact... their flower size is less desirable because it blows the scale of the tree. But their shear beauty in flower is counted more important than the flaw of having an over-large flower.

Not sure what there is to disagree about... my comment was an observation of the state a mature tree can achieve in stasis... not on the free-growing characteristics of azalea vs satsuki in immature stock.

Kindest regards,

Victrinia

[WatchMeShove]

I didn't mean to disagree with you, you just seemed to imply that the satsuki azalea was going to become bigger than the other azalea in my picture. You are correct about all other comments and I appreciate the input you have given. -Paul

[Victrinia Ridgeway]

I didn't mean to disagree with you, you just seemed to imply that the satsuki azalea was going to become bigger than the other azalea in my picture. You are correct about all other comments and I appreciate the input you have given. -Paul

Ohhh... no no... I wasn't saying that at all. I was saying that the foliage on azaleas can be smaller in mature specimens than satsuki... and that fact is true.

V