Satsuki Azalea and like hybrid 'Polo' 1 Gallon flowering Bonsai Tree

Species: Rhododendron indicum  'Polo'
Estimated Age: About 4 - 5 Years
Height: About 8 - 9 Inches
Trunk Size: About 1/4 - 1/2 Inch
Lighting: Full Shade to Partial Shade
Type: Evergreen
Difficulty: Easy to Medium

The Japanese Satsuki is easily one of the most popular of flowering bonsai choices: featuring an excellent low, twiggy habit with lovely funnel shaped unscented flowers in primarily white, pink, red and purple shades. The Satsuki is identified by two blossoms on the end of the branch shoots plus they also have slightly hairy leaves budding out freely from even fairly old bark wood. Most of them have compact branches and are slow growing. They usually have bright to medium green shiny oval shaped leaves with a soft pointed end. Even though they tolerate colder climates better, they are sensitive to high heat temperatures and require some shade to protect it from leaf burn and petal burn from the sun. Great to take care of indoors!

'Polo' has flowers that have a medium sized single blood red border shading to white at center. It's a rare color for Satsuki Azaleas! Some of their flowers have a solid blood red color. As they mature, you'll see more bloom variation on the tree. 'Polo', named after the owner of Sonoma Horticultural Nursery, is a beautiful bi-color evergreen azalea. This hybrid was developed in the 1960's by Mr. Stewart Barber, the original owner of Sonoma Horticultural Nursery, near Santa Rosa, California.

In general, they enjoy more acidic soil (such as Kanuma at around pH level 5.5 to 6) with good drainage to let its fine feeder roots breathe. Satsuki Azaleas don't enjoy being soaked all of the time. An infrequent deep soaking is more effective than superficial sprinkling everyday. Please water them thoroughly from top to bottom to fully saturate the soil to help keep the soil moist but not soggy. They don't enjoy dry soil nor lime. It becomes especially important in hard-water areas to water them with rainwater or filtered water only to avoid lime deposits building up in the soil.

As needed, a fungicidal spray in the spring time as the buds show color will control “petal blight”, a fungal disease that appears as discolored dots on the petals and quickly discolors and collapses the blossoms. To avoid cutting off next year’s flower buds, do major pruning of Satsuki Azaleas soon after they bloom. Shortening or removal of long slender stems with no side shoots and cutting out dead wood may be done at any time.

Depending on the individual tree, the Japanese Satsuki Azaleas may have either a single trunk or multi trunk look to them. It's a 1 gallon tree size.