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Hello,

I have found a gorgeous rose bud azalea and I want to bonsai it. I see it has two main trunks and a lot on top. I have been doing some reading and I know I should wait to prune till after the flowers have died back. My main question is how do I go about starting this? I have worked on a Juniper for the past 3 seasons and I havent killed it yet. But this feels like a new world. I would like to long term have a stunning azalea but I would love some insight as how to begin this journey.

I have uploaded my reference azaleas for my goals wayyy down the road. Thank you for your time and help for a new bonsai artist. It means a lot!

You have a very Enthusiastic goal. But given time it is not impossible. One thing that is important to understand is that your reference image is not a tree by a beginner with nurcery stock. On the other hand you will not be a beginner when you reach your goal.

Right now, if your goal is that big trunk, the trunk growth is what to focus on. Just plant it in the ground and let it grow freely for 5-10 years. You can dig it up every 2-3 years for root work.

If I were young, here is what I would do.

Form a rough idea of final shape

Dig a hole, a foot/30 cm across at least and something like 4 inches/10 cm deep, and put a large sheet of plywood or something impervious to roots in it. Site the hole where rain will water it well but not in a low area where water will pool up.

Plant the azalea in the hole, spreading out the roots as much as possible and maybe cutting off a tap root some.

Water it when it hasn't rained.

Feed it azalea fertilizer regularly, according to directions on the box.

When the flowers bloom, cut them off after the start to fade. This redirects energy toward growth of trunk and branches.

Take pictures every year.

When the trunk has thickened up, find a pot, dig it up, and stick it in the pot. The pot should be about as thick as the depth of the hole.

The azalea you have will not grow into the plants you have as a reference image. It is impossible. It is NOT a matter of time, it is a matter of species.

The reason is simple: The azalea you have there is a shrub that does not grow fat trunks. Only a few azalea species do. The one you see on the reference image is most likely a satsuki azalea, well known for bonsai, amongst others, because it is capable of building good trunks.