Indian paintbrush
A scarlet mountain wildflower that steals water and food from its neighbors' roots, and whose bright color comes from leaves, not petals.
Indian paintbrush at a glance
Castilleja miniata Castilleja miniata is kass-tih-LAY-huh min-ee-AH-tuh
- Type
- Plant · wildflower
- Diet
- Producer
- Size
- About knee-high, up to roughly 2 feet, topped with a brush of red-orange color.
- Lifespan
- A perennial that returns from its roots for several years.
- Conservation
- Not formally assessed by IUCN; common in western mountains
It is a partial parasite. It makes some of its own food from sunlight like a normal plant, but it also sinks tiny root connections into nearby plants and siphons off their water and nutrients.
Is it safe to touch?
Harmless to touch. The flowers are not good to eat in quantity because the plant can take up selenium from the soil, so admire it and leave it be. It is a favorite of hummingbirds, so watch for visitors.
The flower that looks dipped in red paint is playing a trick on you twice over. Walk a Crater Lake or Mount Rainier meadow in summer and the scarlet brushes stand out among the grasses like somebody flicked a loaded paintbrush across the slope. Look closely at one and the first surprise arrives. The color is not petals at all. It is a cluster of leaves near the top of the stalk that have turned bright red-orange, called bracts, and the true flowers are small green tubes hiding down inside the brush, easy to miss.
The second trick is underground. A paintbrush looks like an ordinary wildflower standing on its own, but it is a thief. It sends tiny root connections sideways into the roots of the grasses and other plants around it and siphons off their water and food, taking a share of what its neighbors worked to gather. It still makes some of its own food from sunlight, so it is only a part-time parasite, but that stolen supply is part of why it thrives in tough mountain ground, and why gardeners find it nearly impossible to grow alone.
All that red is aimed at one visitor. The tube-shaped flowers are built for a hummingbird’s long bill, and in the mountains hummingbirds are the paintbrush’s main pollinators, working the brushes one after another. Sit quietly by a patch on a warm afternoon and you may hear the hum before you see it, a tiny bird stitching from one false-painted flower to the next.
Did you know?
- The bright red brush is not petals at all. It is a cluster of colored leaves, called bracts, hiding the small green true flowers tucked inside.
- It taps into the roots of grasses and other plants to steal water and nutrients, which is why it can be hard to grow on its own in a garden.
- Its tube-shaped flowers and red color are built for hummingbirds, which are its main pollinators in the mountains.
Common questions
Are the red parts of Indian paintbrush the flowers?
No. The bright red-orange parts are colored leaves called bracts. The real flowers are the small green tubes hidden inside the brush.
Is Indian paintbrush really a parasite?
Partly. It makes some of its own food from sunlight, but it also connects to the roots of nearby plants and steals their water and nutrients, so it is called a partial parasite.
What pollinates Indian paintbrush?
Mostly hummingbirds. The flower's tube shape and red color are perfect for a hummingbird's long bill, and they visit it often in mountain meadows.