Penstemon Cuttings

Orange_King

I have some decent plants (several varieties) growing well after purchasing them last year but have been told that they need to be replaced with new stock every so often.

Has anyone had any success taking cuttings from these plants or indeed collected seed and grown them from that?

Any tips would be appreciated.

blossomhill_2

They are one of the easist to take cuttings from - use a gritty compost and aim for a cutting approx 3 inch long, strip leaves off bottom 2 inches
Reputed to take in water too

alanobrien

I root these in a glass of water on a south facing window. They usually start to root in a week.

dogstarheaven

i've just divide mine in autumn or spring time. they bush out quite well over the season in their first year, thus will give you plenty of small plants to give away..

A._Badger

If you try to save seed you will get liquorice allsorts results - but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I'm a bit of a penstemon addict and talking with a nurseryman about them last year, he told me that he had stopped growing specific varieties as he got so many interesting colours when he grew from seed.

He certainly had some fabulous ones for sale.

Davesnave

A._Badger wrote: »

If you try to save seed you will get liquorice allsorts results - but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I'm a bit of a penstemon addict and talking with a nurseryman about them last year, he told me that he had stopped growing specific varieties as he got so many interesting colours when he grew from seed.

He certainly had some fabulous ones for sale.

Less chance of eelworm too, which is rife in old varieties.

Orange_King

Thanks to all for the replies. Just how easy is it to get the seeds? I assume they are in very small pods once the flowers have died off?

Davesnave

Orange_King wrote: »

Thanks to all for the replies. Just how easy is it to get the seeds? I assume they are in very small pods once the flowers have died off?

Yes the pods are reasonably large and the trick is to take them just before they split open, pop into an envelope and let the ripening finish off in a dry place.

As I recall, they don't smell very nice, but that's a minor inconvenience.

demystified

Orange_King wrote: »

I have some decent plants (several varieties) growing well after purchasing them last year but have been told that they need to be replaced with new stock every so often.

Has anyone had any success taking cuttings from these plants or indeed collected seed and grown them from that?

Any tips would be appreciated.

I just take cuttings now and put them straight in a jam jar or similar of water, leave them on the windowsill they'll root within 3 weeks or so, same with Fuchsias. Then pot them up and overwinter in a cold frame or similar.

Simples!

graspandsave

I have never had much success with cuttings, clearly not very green fingered. I would love to increase both my penstemon and fucshia stocks,.
though have never tried the plopping them in a jar of water method? Does it have to be a south facing window?
do fuschias varieties come true using this method. Hw long a stem do i need to be taking for fushias?
thanks in advance for your green fingered help.

ps want to divide my rudbeckias, spad staright through the middle was my thought, but not sure when to do it......any thoughts

Orange_King

Fuchsias I find are dead easy to root. About a 15 cm cutting works for me with the bottom couple of sets of leaves removed from the stem.