Early Satsuki blooms

As Jim posted recently, I have some Satsuki that are early to bloom this year. First up is an exposed root azalea. The close up pic accurately shows the flower. The image of the whole plant is poorly exposed. I thought I had the name of the variety, but I must have misplaced it...any ideas?

Here are a few pics of an azalea I got this Spring. "Kakuo" ( Nikko × Miyamakirishima according to a Google search).








I did leave some flower buds to see what they looked like...



The blooms are quite small as you can see here.

John, good find on the Kakuo! Finding one with any size is a challenge. Kakuo also makes an incredible shohin because of it's small flower and fine twigs. It and Kusianum are two of my favorites.
Wood

R.kiusianum is a species with many different forms and parenting many hybrids. The Japanese call this species 'Miyama Kirishima tsutsuji'. It is very different from satsuki.

'Kakuo' is a hybrid, a cross between the sport 'Nikko' of the famous satsuki 'Kozan' and a form of the species kiusianum.
'Kozan' looks a lot like R.indicum and parentage is unknown.
Few other cultivar the Japanese use for bonsai have the species R.kiusianum as a parent.

'Kakuo' seems a pretty intermediate form between these two very different (in terms of how evergreen azalea can be different) plants. It has smaller flowers and the foliage isn't typical for most satsuki as most satsuki are similar to R.indicum or hybrids between R.indicum and R.eriocarpum.

It seems 'Kakuo' is becoming a popular cultivar for bonsai. I am not sure what it's strong points are compared to other popular cultivar but it probably has to do with it's kiusianum parentage. I never saw 'Kakuo' in person.

Right now I am making a similar cross to 'Kakuo' with my own 'Kozan' and my own form of the species R.kiusianum.

If you are familiar with more other azalea/satsuki I'd like to know what you think about 'Kakuo'. I may be trying to aquire a 'Kakuo' cutting for hybridizing myself in the future. 50% satsuki is too little to me and 100% is too much. I need 75% satsuki and 25% hardier azalea.

About the first picture, the leaves are very typical R.indicum. But I have to guess for the cultivar. 'Miyoshino' isn't dissimilar. Are all flowers the same? Not all 'Miyoshino' flowers have white centers. And all reddish with white center cultivar in my dictionary look quite different.

Here is a photo of a larger Kakuo satsuki azalea. Great small flowers and I hope it will be a bit more winter-hardy than the common satsuki azaleas. It's blossoming now because I've kept it in a cool greenhouse since importing in March. All the specimens blossomed and are leafing out nicely.

I just sold this specimen, but have a few more, all in full blossom.

Enjoy!

Bill

William N. Valavanis wrote:I just sold this specimen, but have a few more, all in full blossom.

Bill, you are a bad bad boy! Don't you know that ANYTHING even remotely resembling a solicitation is strictly forbidden on the IBC and usually ends with a severe tongue-lashing for a particularly nasty member of the mod squad???????

Seriously, what a beautiful combination of both parents! I'm sure you'll have no trouble selling the rest.

R

So sorry Russell, I did not realize that.
Should I remove the post and photo?

Bill

Don't worry, you'll be OK, that's reserved for the unwashed masses.

I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Looking good, Bill!