8/27/2023 0 Comments Indian paintbrush leaves![]() ![]() If you missed last year’s spring bloom, check out this past Field Note to learn more. The next time you’re exploring the park, be sure to keep an eye out for this bright wildflower! NPS Photo/McKenna Pace: The Woolly Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja foliolosa). Stems reach 20 60 cm in height and covered sparsely with linear leaves which grow. ![]() Because of the plant’s parasitic nature, you’ll often find the Woolly Indian Paintbrush in close proximity to other native plants, especially Broom Baccharis ( Baccharis sarothoides) and California Sunflower ( Encelia californica). Physical Characteristics Perennial plant and member of figwort family. The microscopic hairs on the leaves of this plant is an adaptation to surviving San Diego’s harsh Mediterranean climate these hairs protect from the sun and capture moisture from the air on foggy mornings. Typically reaching heights of 1-3 feet, the Woolly Indian Paintbrush has red to yellow flowers and fuzzy, gray leaves. It thrives in low-elevation, open, arid environments like the coastal sage scrub plant community and is in bloom from March – June. NPS Photo/McKenna Pace: A closeup of Woolly Indian Paintbrush showing the distinct red-yellow flowers.Ĭastilleja foliolosa is a Paintbrush native to California and the northern edge of Baja California. Species within the genus Castilleja are also hemi-parasitic their roots tap into the roots of other plants and steal nutrients from the host plant. However, Indian Paintbrushes sequester the mineral selenium (Se) in their tissues, so their leaves and roots can be very toxic if eaten. Many Native American tribes used Indian Paintbrush flowers as a condiment for food and to treat various ailments. Many species are distinguished by their linear-shaped flowers with bright hues at their tips, giving them the appearance of a paintbrush dipped in paint. With about 200 total species, this group of plants is native and most common to the western Americas from Alaska to Chile. The Woolly Indian Paintbrush belongs to a large family of wildflowers known generally as Indian Paintbrushes in the genus Castilleja. NPS Photo/McKenna Pace: A Woolly Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja foliolosa) nestled in the coastal sage scrub at Cabrillo National Monument. One such wildflower that pops up every year is called the Woolly Indian Paintbrush ( Castilleja foliolosa). But that doesn’t mean the park is lacking flowers! There are still plenty of bright blooms that catch your eye as you explore the park. Rhexia-leaf Indian Paintbrush - Castilleja rhexifolia, native: Bracts are reddish-purple. Unfortunately, this year’s meager rainfall means we won’t see the same caliber super bloom we were so lucky to see in 2017. Last year’s mighty rainy season brought with it an onslaught of spring blooms at Cabrillo National Monument.
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