Santa Fe Botanical Garden

Common name: Indian paintbrush, southwestern Indian paintbrush, wholeleaf Indian paintbrush, foothills paintbrush, cola de borrego, garañonas, hierba del cancer

Family: Orobanchaceae (Broom-rape)

Distribution: Southwestern United States, Northern Mexico

Habitat: Plains, hills, and mesas, hemi-parasite

Hardiness: USDA Zone 4 (-30 to -20 °F)

Life form: Herbaceous perennial

Occurrence in New Mexico: New Mexico native plant

Growing Conditions: Indian paintbrush grows in Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, and West Texas on arid hills, plains and mesas. It is usually seen at middle elevations, between that of low deserts and mountains. It is the most common paintbrush in New Mexico and is widespread throughout the state, generally growing in sagebrush flats, piñon-juniper and ponderosa woodlands, badlands, and desert canyons. It grows in full sun, usually on gravelly or rocky soil. Castilleja species are facultative root hemi-parasites. They reproduce by seeds, which germinate readily without the presence of a host plant. They form root connections after reaching the seedling stage, but some seedlings survive to maturity without attaching to a host’s roots. In general, growth is enhanced by root connections and it is recommended to plant seeds of a host (usually a grass) at the same time as planting paintbrush seeds. Transplanting mature paintbrush may kill it.