Scientific Name: Castilleja spp.
Common Name: Indian paintbrush, harsh paintbrush
Family Name: Orobanchaceae
Origin: North America
Hardiness Zone: Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Plant Type: Biennial
Mature Size: 0.2 - 0.4m x 0.1 - 0.3m (height x width)
Habit: Upright
Form: Columnar
Texture: Medium - fine
Landscape Uses: Attract birds, Native planting, Summer interest
Exposure: Full sun
Soil or Media: Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Lobed, Alternate, Basal, Sessile, Soft flexible, Pubescent, Lanceolate, Spatulate, Incised, Palmately lobed
Flowers: Spike, Orange, Red, Apr-May-Jun-Jul
Fruit: Capsule, Brown, Aug-Sep
Key ID Features:
Biennial; leaves basal and spatulate in first year, and then alternate, lanceolate or tree-pointed towards apex on the flowering stalks the next year, most 4-7cm long x 1-2cm wide; flowers green but with large mostly three-lobed bracts which look as though they were dipped in orange or red or yellow paint.