Cuttings

Non-flowering tip cuttings:  Most of the hybrid penstemons lend themselves readily to this method, cuttings of the more vigorous varieties such as Firebird can be taken early in the year and will normally grow fast enough to flower in late summer but probably the best thing to do is take the cuttings in mid or late summer and over-winter them for planting out in the following season.

I usually put about five cuttings into a 5 inch pot filled with a 50/50 mix of compost and vermiculite.  Gently water the cuttings in but do not over-water during growth.  Cuttings can be potted-on once they have rooted, about 3 to 4 weeks, and then gradually hardened off for planting out in the garden. 

Rosette Cuttings:  Penstemons such as Ovatus produce a rosette from which the flower stems grow.  Short shoots can be taken from the rosette and used as cuttings.

Layering

Bushy penstemons such as Firebird and Windsor Red will layer naturally in some cases.  To layer a cutting from the parent plant peg a section of a flower stalk to the ground and cover the pegged length with a rooting medium such as good potting compost.  Shoots will eventually begin to grow and when rooted the layer can be separated from the parent plant.

Division

Penstemons such as Digitalis, Ovatus and other rosette forming penstemons can be propagated by division.  In the early part of the growing season lift the parent plant and gently pull apart to reveal separate plants.  Pot on and plant out when the divisions have become established.

Seed

Taking seed from hybrid varieties will not produce a 'true' plant but will revert to the dominant parent.  Packet seed is fairly widely available from Garden Centres and through seed exchange programs.  Stick rigidly to the instructions given on the packet.  I have recently been successful with Penstemon True Blue which should make its way into these pages during the 2002 growing season.