A for Azalea

You may recognize this genus by its Latin name, Rhododendron. As part of the Heath family, the most attractive aspect of this bonsai tree is its flowers. It has bright blooms in spring, and they don’t mind having a touch of shade to protect the delicate foliage. Once established, they don’t mind if you miss a day or two of watering, as it’s incredibly drought tolerant.

While the flowers are beautiful, you may want to keep the bees away from this one. The nectar makes them particularly drunk or crazy, which is why most of them steer clear of it. If you love having bees around your roses or pollinating your other flowering bonsais, you may want to keep your azalea at a safe distance.

I love my Azalea bonsai. I bought it as a plant at my local DIY store, and I decided to turn it into a bonsai tree. I’ve only had it for about five months, but it surprised me with flowers as soon as spring arrived. While I have it outside in full sun for the morning hours, I needed to provide slight shade due to the leaves burning. The flowers are pink and really put on a wonderful show.