Page 123 - Ebook cây cảnh Art of Bonsai

Refining an azalea 123

Remove the spent flowers

1 Remove the flowers as
soon as their petals start to
wilt. If wilted petals get wet,
there is a high probability of
fungal problems developing,
so act promptly and remove
the whole bloom—both the
purple petals and the central
ovular stem. If the ovule is
left to develop, it will turn
to seed and the tree will
become exhausted.

2 Hold the branch steady
with one hand just behind the
tip, then pinch and twist off
the petals and the central
ovule. Take care not to pull
too hard to avoid damaging
the branch.

3 Foliage remains at the end
of the branch, but the flower 1 2
is removed entirely. From this
point you can expect at least
two—and perhaps four or
Long, leggy
five—new shoots to develop
growth will
within about two weeks. need to be
tackled
4 With the flowers removed
it is time to start thinking
about the styling of your
azalea. This example has
grown out of shape: there
are a number of leggy
branches, and the structure
lacks definition.

3 4