INDIAN PAINTBRUSH

Castilleja chromosa

Probably the best-known and most easily-recognized of all western wildflowers, Indian paintbrush is rarely seen in gardens, and it has a reputation for being very difficult to grow. The secret to success with this plant is to grow it with a companion plant that is more than just a companion plant. Indian paintbrush needs to attach its roots to the roots of a host plant in order to prosper, obtaining both food and water from its host. Some day soon, growers in our region will work out the details of these requirements, and Indian paintbrush plants, growing with a host plant, will be as readily available in native plant nurseries as penstemons are now. Paintbrushes are not very picky about hosts, and are able to root onto many different species. An especially favorable host for the common spring-flowering Indian paintbrush is big sagebrush, and it is very commonly found on this species in nature. The combination of the mint green of the sagebrush foliage with the bright red and green of the paintbrush is very striking and beautiful. As the sagebrush grows, the paintbrush seeds itself further out. Thus the association can last for many years, even in a garden setting.