japanese azalea

order: ericales
family: ericaceae
genus: rhododendron
species: indicum?
cultivar: 'Asahi no Izumi'?

First Story

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9 march 2012

Azalea in full bloom after winter dormancy.

This is a japanese azalea. I don't know exactly which variety it is. The label only says this "azalea japonica" is a dwarf form. The closest match I found is rhododendron indicum 'kazan', which is a satsuki azalea. If its leaves were smaller, I could have identified it as rhododendron obtusum, a kurume azalea, with possible cultivar being 'hinodegiri'. The colour of the blooms is somewhere between peach and salmon.

Azaleas are prone to be attacked by gall insects and fungi. I personally find it interesting to observe the different abnormal growths. However it's recommended to remove them as soon as possible.

Probably because of the scorching heat during the first week of March, some of the petals and stamens became detached from the rest of the flowers and fell off cleanly. Pistils remain on the receptacle. I'm not sure if this azalea is a self-pollinating type. I brushed some of the fallen stamens against the stigmas. If the ovaries develop into seed pods later, then I'll know the answer.

One of the first flower buds to open.

Gall of a leaf looking like a wedge of unripe hairy strawberry.

Fallen petal

Update

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2013

After the flowering season in the spring, I separated the 4 plants. Two of them were planted in their respective pots (I named them azalea #1 and #2). The other two were planted into the ground next to other rhododendrons I have in the garden. The growth was strong and leggy, which makes the plants look somewhat awkward after the season.

In the winter the plants have dropped their older leaves but retained those of current year. Flower buds are set to open for the coming spring. As I was told that satsuki azalea (this is what the japanese call the Rhododendron indicum species) is only frost-hardy to certain degree and therfore it's recommended to keep them just above freezing point, I've been moving my potted plants in and out from the stairwell according to the fluctuation of the temperature outside.

While continuing to identify my azalea, I have come across several more suggestions like 'Duc de Rohan' and 'Asahi no Izumi', though the latter is more likely. So from now on, I'd like to think this is what I have.

azalea #1 after repotting.

azalea #1 in late autumn 2012.

azalea #2 in late autumn 2012.

azalea #1 flowering, spring 2013.

azalea #2 flowering spring 2013.

Update

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16 september 2015

azales #2 in flower was a onlooker in spring 2015.

Again, the flower this year was amazing! I learned from previous years that leaving them in the rain while in flower is not a good idea, as the corollas that got wet would fall off early. This year I had them sheltered and I had my neighbour and visitors enraptured by their beauty over a month.

flower close-up 2015.

a cutting from 2013 is also in flower.

Changing soil is so essential for the health of rhododendrons and azaleas, need I say that? This year, I finally repotted my azaleas #1, #2 and several other azaleas. The effect is the really handsome, deep green and shiny foliage. Even old one turned darker. Our tap water has pH 8 and with it I fill our pond in the garden. This is where I draw the water for watering all my plants in the summer. After standing in the pond, the pH of the water usually lowers down to somewhere around 7. It is still a high pH for acid loving plants. With time, the pH becomes on the high side for them. The different salts that build up in the soil and the necessary trace nutrients that get washed out during each watering result in an unhealthy soil. The best remedy is not to use any chemical but to change the soil completely. Although top-dressing or potting-up with fresh soil also works fine. I absolutely recommend anybody keeping any type of rhododendrons to do this. If a complete soil change or potting-up is not possible, you should always top-dress with ericaceous soil and replace this layer frequently.

azalea #1 trimmed back hard and repotted this year. shiny, compact foliage.

azalea #2 with revived shiny, healthy looking foliage after potting-up.

benjamin's fig

order: rosales
family: moraceae
genus: ficus
species: benjamina

First Story

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7 april 2012

Finally a benjamin's fig of my own! It was love at first sight. Actually I inherited from a friend of mine who needed to clear all the plants in his workplace, because their company was moving to a new building where they implement the "no own plant" policy. Since he's already got a giant benjamin's fig at home, he said 'yes' right away as I asked him if he'd give it to me. I can imagine that in the workplace, the plant got a lot a sunlight and warmth which is why it's already thrown up so much of new growth in March. The fresh lemon green against the dark leaves from last year gives such a vivid contrast. It's got two trunks growing from below, a twin. Lovely!

I want to give it a new pot because I don't like the plastic pot it's growing in currently. I've been looking around for one. I'm thinking of one that is shallow and glazed. Wider but not taller than its current pot. Something as shiny as its foliage. For colour I prefer something natural. Brown, dirty green or blue. Handmade. I've seen candidates, but am still not 100% happy. I'll keep on looking and avoid making decision too soon out of urge to rid the plastic piece and regret it later when I find a better pot.

Update

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5 september 2015

Over the past 3 years my benjamin's fig has evolved tremendously. The two trunks have gained weight and effectively fused together. I have been doing the "cut and grow" on it throughout the growing seasons. As soon as days got warmer I'd put the plant out in the garden. Weekly feeding gave it energy to consistently throw up new fresh green leaves. Clipping several times during summer were enough to result in really dense foliage. However the leaves have also become a lot larger. I rather have them small so the trees resemble bigger trees. Last year in spring I managed to finally transplant it into a new pot. When doing that I made sure to spread out the roots horizontally. With surface soil washed out over time roots got exposed. The pot is rather shallow and the plant quite aggressive. Therefore only after a year the plant has become root-bound again. One thing I didn't manage to do this year which I should definitely make up for in spring next year is to trim back long roots and replace the soil.