Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja affinis
Indian paintbrush is a showy perennial wildflower growing from an erect stem, up to 60 cm in height. The pale, greenish-purple stem, which may be hairy or smooth, has a few leaves, variable in shape and length. The unusual flowers bloom between the bright red to yellow bracts (folded leaves), which grow from the stem in a dense, irregular whorl. The fuzzy flowers extend slightly beyond the bracts and are purple to green, lined with red or yellow. The fruit capsule is just over a cm long.
Basic Information
Member of the Orobanchaceae, broomrapes, family
Perennial herb
Hemi-parasite, steals some of its nutrients from a host plant
There are three recognized subspecies:
Castilleja affinis ssp. affinis — Coast Indian painbrush; common throughout western North America from Washington to Baja California
Castilleja affinis ssp. litoralis — Oregon Coast paintbrush; rare, grows on the coastline of northern California and Oregon
Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta — Tiburon paintbrush; rare, with only a known occurrences in and around the San Francisco Bay Area; endangered species
Habitat
Native to western North America from Washington down to Baja California
Found growing on open hillsides, often in forest clearings and grassland ecosystems
Ecological Role
Supports native bees
Reproduction
Blooms from March to June
Alternative Names
Coast Indian Paintbrush, Soft-leaved Indian Paintbrush, Softleaf Indian Paintbrush
Historical Uses
The Ohlone applied a decoction of the plant, as either a wash or powder, to infected sores
On holidays, maidens of the Hopi decorated their hair with the flowers
