British Columbia Outdoor Wilderness Guide
-
Indian
Paintbrush
(Castilleja sp.)
a.k.a. common red paintbrush
Indian
paintbrush is a member of the figwort family.
This
perennial, that has a cluster of stems that grow
upward from the base, can grow up to 60 cm. tall.
- LEAVES:
- -
The leaves of the Indian Paintbrush are long
and narrow
- -
pointed but without teeth
- -
upper leaves can have 3 lobes and fine hairs
-
- -
Indian Painbrush flowers are set in clusters
- -
long, tube-like; pale green to red on the
ends
- -
partly hidden by brilliant red, hairy and
toothed bracts
- FRUIT:
- -
capsules with many seeds
- HABITAT:
- -
Indian Paintbrush grows in mid to high elevations
- -
dry to moist areas such as forests, roadsides
and slopes
- -
Indian Paintbrush is found throughout most
of British Columbia.
- FASCINATING
FACTS:
- -
It is easy to see why the plant received it's
name 'paintbrush'. The tops look like they
have been dipped in bright red paint.
- -
dyes have been made from the Indian Paintbrush
plant.
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