Downy Indian Paintbrush

Downy Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea)

       The color of the Downy Indian Paintbrush ranges from purple, reddish orange to yellow. The Yellow or Lemon Paintbrush, also a variety of Downy Indian Paintbrush and a native to the United States, is found in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.
       Formerly called Castilleja citrina the yellow variety of C. purpurea is now included with Castilleja purpurea as a variety (var) called citrina.
       Blooming from mid to late spring the Downy Indian Paintbrush thrive and grow in open dry sandy or rocky soils on prairies, fields and along roadsides.
       As with other Paintbrushes (Castilleja), Castilleja purpurea is a parasitic plant feeding on the roods of other plants.
       The Downy Indian Paintbrush grows to 18 inches tall with flowers to 1 inch long and leaves to over two inches. Most of the color of the plant is not the flower but modified leafs call bracts. The leaves and bracts of the downy Paintbrush are very hairy.

Photo taken at Wichita Wildlife Refuge near Lawton Oklahoma