Azalea officially dead, now what?

amanda · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject: Azalea officially dead, now what?

I would like to purchase an indoor tree, and am looking for recommendations. Schefflera sounds like a good option. I have a very large south-facing window, and my little shelf there is very close to the radiator. I need something that wouldn't mind getting a bit dry, and likes lots of sun.

Besides Schefflera, I also saw a "Texas Ebony" (pithecolobium flexicaule) that I liked.

Any additional suggestions?

Thanks,
M

Stymie

Nothing is going to thrive near to a radiator Mandy. That being taken into consideration, I would recommend one of the Ficus group. (Figs in other words).

amanda

The azalea thrived there for nearly three years before I killed it. I cover the area where the tree is with old text books.

imholte

An azalea needs to be outside to grow properly. I am betting that you were just able to keep your azalea alive for 3 years, but it was in poor health and eventually succomed to the inadequate living quarters.

Not sure what you mean by covering the area with textbooks?

emorrin

The ficus is a good choice for indoors except for they need stable temperatures and good humidity to thrive. They would live but not ideally near a radiator nor in dry conditions. That being said, if you have no other better place to put a plant, a succulent would be a good bet. They can handle dry and warmer temperatures for the most part. The Portulacaria afra or "dwarf jade" tree comes to mind.

http://www.bonsai-bci.com/species/portulacaria.html

The Schefflera also likes allot of humidity so it wouldn't be a good choice as well. A humidity tray would help but most people will caution against putting a plant near a radiator. Almost every bonsai related book will tell you that this is a "no" "no".

mo's bonsai · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:24 am Post subject: Azalea officially dead, now what?

Good day M,

I would also as Ed said, recommend a Ficus, They have nice glossy green leaves that with proper training could become small and branch out giving it a desirable bonsai look. Ficus Benjamin would be my Ficus of choice for indoor bonsai. Good luck.

Mo

amanda

I think I should explain the situation a little better. The window is about 8 feet x 8 feet, facing south. There is a little sill, maybe 4 inches, between the window and the radiator. The radiator is ~ 5 inches wide, and runs the length of the window. Then there is a little shelf that is about 1 foot wide. These three elements are flush and stable. The sill and the radiator are level, and the shelf is about an inch lower.

I put 2 textbooks (~9x12 inches each) side by side on top of the radiator and the sill so they cover about 2 feet, and provide insulation against the heat it provides. This effectively shuts off the radiator in the region where the tree is. I have also considered buying a magnetic strip that would be this size to eliminate a good region of the radiator. I just don't think the radiator is much of an issue.

The azalea was lush and flowered profusely for two of the three years it spent there. (The center year I de-flower-budded it.) It died because I went away and didn't have anyone watering it for me for about a week and a half.

thanks for the advise, all. I'll start looking for a fig too.

emorrin

If the only reason the azalea died is because of not being watered then a ficus should be ok there. The only issue I see is the dryness of the air around the radiator. That is a pretty big radiator. Shielding the heat is a good idea. Maybe placing aluminum foil under the books to further shield it would help. If this is the only good spot in your house, I would suggest getting a large humidity tray to build up humidity around whatever you choose to put there. A ficus is a tropical plant so the heat won't hurt it. It is the dry air that won't do it good. A large humidity tray and a misting once or twice a day would help. Just be careful to watch out for the growth of fungus or mildew, especially powdery mildew, since it would thrive in such conditions (i.e. warm and humid).

My other suggestion for a bonsai would be the Portulacaria afra, as mentioned earlier. Dry air won't hurt this plant.

Dick

Hi Amanda,

How are things in Ithaca? I like your Lebanese flag, thought I dodn't think you were Lebanese.

There are azaleas that do not need to be grown outdoors in winter. Most of them are the typical ones sold during holiday times, like Mother's Day coming up. But they also do not come with any trunk size. However, their flowers are usually very nice. The radiator space is not the opportune place for them to grow since they have very fine hair like roots and once they dry out, they are very difficult to water again. The roots and growing medium will repel water reather than absorb it.

Texas ebony is a nice tree. It does have small thorns which is a drawback. It can be grow indoors too and pretty easilt. It also likes to dry out a bit betweeen waterings and can benefit from a well draining soil and being outdoors during the spring and summer. There are two huge Texas ebony trees growing outside the entrance of the Alamo so they can take the heat and full sunlight as well. If you can deflect the radiator heat, it can easily grow in a south window.

Good luck. Say hello to Michael and Reina.

mr.schefflera

Scheffleras are my favorite plant for indoor bonsai thay can gro with a little amount of light and water(In fact they will easily rot if there is too much water) a teknik I use to form a banyan style is grow a cutting untill it has the desired thickness