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What types of Japanese azalea bonsai are commonly cultivated in Australia?
There are over 500 different varieties of azalea. But the most common ones include:
Japanese Kurume Azalea
Dwarf azalea with medium sized semi-green leaves. Also called Kirishima Azalea or Kirin Azalea. Flowers in shades of pink, red and purple.
Satsuki Azalea
Lime-hating evergeen shrub. Smallish, narrow dark green leaves. There are many hundreds of Satsuki with flowers in early summer, in shades of white, through pinks and reds to purples. Different colours on the same plant are often found, as are striped, speckled or blotched forms.
Saotome Azalea
Dwarf non-flowering azalea with small, narrow light green leaves. Rarely can be seen flowering on more mature trees.
Azalea Care Guide
Position - Partial shade. Protect from frost, and heavy rain when in flower.
Watering - Daily throughout the growing season and mist spray, with lime-free water. Keep the soil moist at all times.
Feeding - Every two weeks from early spring until flowering, then monthly from the end of flowering through to early Autumn. Use ericaceous fertiliser. What is ericaceous? In basic terms, use a fertiliser that is suitable for acidic soils ranging from a pH of 4.5 to 6. Azaleas prefer to be in a slightly acidic potting mix.
Repotting - Annually or as necessary after flowering. Use lime-free soil mix.
Pruning - Remove flowers as soon as they fade. Remove all new shoots after flowers fade. Prune secondary shoots until midsummer.
Propagation - Kurume Azalea can be propagated by cuttings or air layering.
Styles - Suitable for all styles. Let your imagination run free.