Right I'm sure everyone has asked this at some time but i wanted a answer through experience.

I have a Satsuki Azalea that my father gave me and I am 100% it is a Satsuki. The parent plant he bought for a lot of money has multiple colored flowers and it flowers every year in June with out fail.

It is gorgeous and I have been training mine for 3 years now and has started to produce multi colored flowers on the same plant and same flowers are different colors (Pink and White petals and strips).

I want to get myself more varieties of the Satsuki Azalea and I see them for sale all over the internet.

How am i to be sure if i spend £200+ on a specimen i will be getting a Satsuki Azalea Bonsai and not just a Azalea Bonsai??

What Makes a Satsuki Azalea a Satsuki? Because I have seen a variety advertised as a "Satsuki Anouk" variety but on other sites the "Anouk" variety is just an Azalea??

I don't want to be seen off her as its a big investment in something i wish to be handing down to my children and maybe their children!!

Do you see my point and confusion?

A few pics to help you of the Satsuki my father gave me. Variaty Komie

Satsuki Azaleas originate from the Japanese varieties that have been bred over the years. All Azaleas are Rhododendron indicum. There are many hundreds of varieties and you would be better to go to a bonsai nursery so that you can choose the plant you want. There are several good UK bonsai traders that sell good quality Satsukis. Where you live will depend on which one is nearest to you.

Cheers for the reply Geoff.

I do understand that all Azaleas are bred from the Rhododendron Indicum and there are thousands of them around.

I have talked to my father about this many time and we both understand a Satsuki Azalea flowers in the 5th month of the old Chinese lunar calendar and "NORMAL" Azaleas flowers much earlier.

I just wanted to know other that actually going to the nursery during flowering season how I can tell if it is a Satsuki Azalea for sale( i.e on eBay) and not just some common azalea named a Satsuki?

thank you again =]

As far as sellers on E Bay, unless you know who they are then there is no way to be sure. In Japan they flower in May, but some do flower later, mine is in full flower right now. It depends a lot on the seasons, if we have a late spring or early spring. If you want to be certain the plant is Satsuki then go to a bonsai dealer. Greenwood, Herons as well as Lee Verhoorvorts all sell Satsuki Azaleas.

Yea I'm always careful with sellers on eBay. For example I bought a Japanese Azalea 'Anouk' and it just says Japanese Azalea! However when I go on eBay they are selling it as a Satsuki Azalea 'Anouk'. This is been sold by Graham Potter @ Kaizen Bonsai.

Can you see why I'm confused about it?

I did email Kaizen bonsai because they are selling this variaty as a Satsuki for £12.95 and I got the exact same variety for £4.99 at a nursery that sells hundreds of azalea? But they have not replied to my question at all!

I'm not the biggest fan of them to be honest and my father has had nothing but grief from them when asking questions too.

I will be taking a trip to Herons Bonsai in the near future and hopefully John Hanbys in the next few days to get myself a nice half specimen Satsuki.

Well, for £12.95 you will get a seedling. You will like Herons, but you will need a lot of money if you want a decent tree. If you must buy on the internet then but from dealers you know of, Kaizen is very good, and they supply good plants, but you still can't choose the one you want.
I have a couple of times, but I don't like doing it, I would rather see what I am getting,

I can't say just through family experience that I'm happy with Kaizen Bonsai. Who know I may have luck in the future

I still can't fully identify a Satsuki tho over a normal Azalea Japonica

Off to Dai-Ichi Bonsai in Redditch today for a looksie at what they have and fingers crossed get myself a nice Satsuki =]

Dia Ichi at Reddich has been closed for over a year

shaunbrook7104 wrote: Yea I'm always careful with sellers on eBay. For example I bought a Japanese Azalea 'Anouk' and it just says Japanese Azalea! However when I go on eBay they are selling it as a Satsuki Azalea 'Anouk'. This is been sold by Graham Potter @ Kaizen Bonsai.

Can you see why I'm confused about it?

Actually, no. I do not. What is the confusion? Satsuki azalea is a japanese azalea, and containes a variety called Anouk.

But, determining what a satsuki azalea is is dificult.. scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JARS/v38n4/v38n4-greer.htm

I would personally just take the type of growth (Does it form trunks) and flower (Form, shape) as key guids to purchasing, not the label itself.

Thanks for the reply

I have seen Azalea's advertised here in the UK as just Azalea Japonica "Insert Variety". Are these Azaleas known as a Satsuki or just a Azalea of Japanese origin?

I only ask as I bought the "Anouk" in question at a local garden center for under £5 in great health and shape, then in bonsai shops they are wanting £15 and then postage for really small rubbish things! It's nuts of you ask me haha

How do you describe/define and Azalea in a sentence or small paragraph?

I know that Satsuki is the 5th month of the old Chinese lunar calendar and that's when they flower but other than that there are so many descriptions of them online I don't know who to believe