NPSOT Logo
Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language
Search

Native Plant Society of Texas

Search
Close this search box.

Indian Paintbrush

Castilleja indivisa

Other common name(s):

Texas Indian Paintbrush, Entireleaf Indian Paintbrush, Texas Paintbrush, Scarlet Paintbrush

Family:

Orobanchaceae (Broomrape Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Central Great Plains, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

0.5
to
1.5
ft.

Spread

1
to
1.5
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Annual

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Maintenance

Transplanting paintbrush may kill it. Propagation: Seed.

Comments

Blooms January-December depending on the region. Castilleja species are hemiparasitic, especially on grasses, penetrating the host roots to obtain nutrients. Blooms can vary greatly from year to year. Larval Host: Buckeye butterfly. Nectar: butterflies.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAIN13. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Castilleja+indivisa&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=16376&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 6) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 147. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=33064#null

Download a 1 page PDF file for this plant, suitable for sharing, printing, and plant sales. Includes an ecoregion map, and a QR code back to this page.

Downloading PDFs only works on desktop browsers

You can favorite this plant and others and maintain a list of your favorite native plants below. You can also unfavorite a plant and clear your list. Click on a plant to go to it.

      No Favorites

Get in Touch

Contact the State

Contact a local Chapter

State Office Phone: 830.997.9272

State Office Address:
Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Become a Member

Become an important part of a statewide community with over 4,000 members, who are united in our mission to promote Texas native plants!

Join Us!

Stay Informed

To keep up with what’s new at the Native Plant Society of Texas, subscribe to the state office email list. We won’t share your information with anyone.

Subscribe
Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Camera
Member Portal
Chapter Tool Chest
Admin Login

Native Plant Society of Texas is a 501(3)(c) nonprofit organization This website and all content Copyright © Native Plant Society of Texas. All rights reserved. Content may not be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission. Contact the Webmaster.