Castilleja integra
A North American hemiparasitic wildflower native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, with dense spikes of red-orange bracts surrounding green beak-like flowers, parasitizing grasses, drought-tolerant on dry rocky slopes, and typically 12–16 inches tall.
Common Names
Wholeleaf Indian Paintbrush, Wholeleaf Paintbrush, Squawfeather, Indian Paintbrush, Paintbrush, Cola De Borrego, Garañonas, Hierba Del Cancer
Summary
Wholeleaf Indian Paintbrush is a perennial hemiparasitic herb native to the Southwest United States, including Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas, growing on dry, gravelly slopes in desert shrublands, grasslands, badlands, and woodlands at elevations roughly 4,200–10,700 ft. It has upright stems densely woolly, with linear to narrowly lanceolate leaves, and red bracts that subtend dense spikes of small green tubular flowers; plants reach about 10–50 cm tall and bloom from March to October, with nectar attractive to hummingbirds.
Because it is hemiparasitic, a compatible host is required for best growth, and transplanting seedlings with a host in the same pot improves establishment; seed-based propagation with 8-week stratification is used, with host options including Artemisia frigida, Artemisia michauxiana, Calylophus serrulatus, Ericameria nauseosa, Liatris punctata, Oxytropis sericea, and Penstemon spp. In cultivation, suitable for xeriscapes or low-water landscapes on well-drained soil; once established, it requires minimal irrigation. It offers dramatic color, attracts hummingbirds, and serves as a host plant for Fulvia Checkerspot butterfly caterpillars; ethnobotanical uses include medicinal applications and dye/preservative uses by Indigenous peoples.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12-20 inches
Spread
12-15 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4-8
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun.
Soil Type
Well-drained, dry, rocky or gravelly soil with low fertility; tolerant of alkaline soils.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
Alkaline soils
Bloom Color
Red
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer, Fall
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Rapid
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings (difficult or impossible), Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- A.Gray
- Publication
- Rep. U.S. Mex. Bound. 2(1): 119 (1859)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Lamiales
- Family
- Orobanchaceae
- Genus
- Castilleja
Synonyms
Castilleja angustifolia Castilleja elongata Castilleja gloriosa Castilleja integra var. gracilis Castilleja integra var. intermedia Castilleja integra var. gloriosa