Varieties of AzaleaAzaleas come in roughly three varieties: Satsuki and Kurume, which are native to Japan, and the American Azalea, or Rhododendron, which is used extensively in landscaping in the American South. The American varieties usually have larger leaves and flowers than the Japanese varieties. American Azaleas typically bloom in early spring.Satsuki and Kurume Azaleas typically have small leaves, which makes them better subjects for bonsai. There are also a quite a few Satsuki varieties which produce different colored flowers, usually with a split combination of pink and white or red and white on the same bloom. There are other types that will produce different colored flowers (usually red and white) on the same plant. Satsuki Azaleas were named by the Japanese for their tendency to bloom in June, the sixth month.Soil and WaterJust abo scholarships for single moms ut all of the difficulties in keeping Azalea bonsai arise from two factors: 1) Water/soil chemistry; and 2) Soil composition. Most Azaleas come from the nursery potted in a soil which is 100% organic matter. This is done for a couple of reasons. First, the nursery people assume that the buyer is going to plant the Azalea in the ground or in a large container on a patio, and having a 1 gallon sized hunk of organic matter around the roots will help it get established. Second, the Azalea needs a lot of nutrients to produce the blooms, which are its big selling point.The problem with potting Azaleas this way is organic soil drains very poorly, eventually causing plant death from root rot. If you buy a nursery Azalea, you should repot it at the first opportunity. Bonsai soil for an Azalea should be 40% organic matter, and 60% aggregate for drainage.