Castilleja parviflora

Common Names

Mountain Indian Paintbrush, Smallflower Indian Paintbrush, Small-Flowered Paintbrush

Summary

Smallflower Indian Paintbrush is a perennial herb native to western North America, with upright, short, hairy stems and lobed leaves; it features vivid magenta-red to rose bracts that enclose blooms, while the flowers themselves are green to yellowish green with purple edges hidden among the bracts, and plants reach about 6–15 inches tall in subalpine to alpine meadows, often with heathers, at mid- to high-elevations; its distribution includes Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Oregon, and Washington, with varieties reported in the Olympic Mountains and Vancouver Island.

In cultivation, it is a hemiparasitic perennial that attaches to host plant roots (often grasses) to obtain nutrients; it prefers full sun, high humidity, and well-drained soils and is hardy in zones 3–8; moisture needs are described as consistently moist in the first year, then drought-tolerant, and fertilization is not recommended; wilted blooms should be pruned to prevent reseeding, and transplanting paintbrush is usually fatal.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

6-15 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Bloom Color

Green to yellowish green, Pink, Pink-purple to crimson, cream or white varieties

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Green to gray-green to purple-tinged to deep purple

Fall Foliage Color

Purple

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds (self-seeding/autumn reseeding)