Can this become something interesting?

[Javaman4373]

I collected this young Rhododendron viscosum this spring and potted it. It is a rather disordered forest like planting now that I thought, if it can't be developed into an interesting bonsai, I will transplant it to our landscape, where it can become a beautiful flowering shrub. So I thought I would solicit some opinions on this forum.

 

[0soyoung]

The obvious answer is 'of course it can!'. It is up to you to figure out how what you think an interesting image would be and then set about to make that happen. One makes a 10 year plan and then modifies that at least annually according to how the thing you are growing responds to what you do to it. Doesn't that sound like fun?

Probably the most basic tool is pruning to affect back-budding. I assume that you've already learned that pruning right after flowering accomplishes this end. Buds will pop from visible 'leaf scars' or 'eyes' that you can see along the stem. True for all rhododendrons, including azaleas, which is great because it means you can enjoy the flowers every year! On the other hand, maybe you haven't already learned this. So, next spring, ...

The other basic tool is wiring, which is something one can do to any young stem. With your young stems you have/had the opportunity to make them follow trajectories you find interesting --> you don't have to accept what you've got to be the only thing you can have (as long as they are young enough - if they are not, cutting them is your only option).