Azalea Bonsai Pruning

This means that the lower branches grow stronger than the weaker top which leads to the shape of a shrub in nature.
Azalea bonsai pruning. Azaleas respond well to hard pruning and if pruned back to a stump after flowering will bud back prolifically and can be shaped in just about any bonsai style. Satsuki azalea bonsai before and after pruning i had the pleasure of working on this stunning shohin satsuki azalea late last autumn. With a distinct trunk you often see the azalea trained in the shape of a tree. With both you want branches that bifurcate so look for pairs and prune away third wheels.
Prevent pests and diseases. Cut off anything that comes straight out toward the viewer the whole poke you in the eye thing. Once trained to a specific bonsai shape azaleas require only maintenance pruning and trimming. It helps to know just when to prune in the year for doing so too late can prevent flowers from blooming later down the line.
Ordinarily for the best results it is always best to prune azalea and all species of rhododendron immediately after flowering has finished however this work can safely be carried out until the end of autumn. Therefore prune the branches at the base harder than the top. If heavier pruning is required do it after your azalea finishes blooming. The branch in the image above has grown outside the foliage mass and needs to be shortened back.
The third and final main method of pruning azalea is simply pruning shoots back. This video discusses several techniques for pruning azalea bonsai during their development. Remove spent flowers as soon as they wilt and any new shoots that develop after blooming ends. To prune pinch out ends of new growth that occurs after the blooming season.
Azalea bonsai tend to be susceptible to spider mites or vine weevils which eat up the leaves and branches so appropriate pesticides are much needed. As with deciduous branch pruning pruning primary branches back to inner secondary branches to create taper and movement is encouraged. The azalea is one of the very few tree species that are basally dominant.