John,
I agree. However, I haven't seen mine really flower for a few years as I've been removing the buds, so perhaps that's what I'm missing. Also, this one has a very muscular trunk, and I forgot to mention the large branch that was removed just above (like centimeters) the lowest, so I'm leaving it there for the moment to heal the scar and prevent atrophy at the moment. Not to mention, the hours spent studying Kokufu books, where the azaleas aren't flowering and are often quite strong and powerful.
Enjoying your virtual more and more I'm curious, what kind of pot would you see this azalea in for the future you've offered? Maybe back into the blue? Perhaps something completely different? I enjoy trading out pots and giving trees an entirely different look as a result.