El Monte Valley Native Plants
$3.75–$95.00Distance unavailable · 12240 Woodside Avenue, Lakeside, CA 92040
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trefle.io · Taken Aug 5, 2020 by Grace Drake (cc-by-sa)
Orobanchaceae
Scarlet indian paintbrush
Castilleja coccinea
Also known as Prairie fire, Castilleja ludoviciana, Indian paintbrush, Rhinanthus coccineus
Zones 4–9Sun Partial SunWater ModerateCare High
Flowering Plants · Native Plants · Hemiparasitic · Native Wildflower · Orobanchaceae · Hummingbird Plant · Scarlet Flowers · Prairie Plant · Difficult To Grow · Castilleja · Specialist Plant · Eastern Native
Pet-safeAttracts pollinators
In stock at 3 nurseriesStock updated 9/6/2026
Scarlet Indian paintbrush is a stunning native wildflower famous for its vivid red-orange bracts, but it is notoriously difficult to cultivate because it is hemiparasitic — it requires a compatible host grass or perennial plant growing nearby to tap nutrients from. Sow seeds directly in the garden in fall alongside host grasses such as little bluestem, in full to partial sun with well-drained soil. It is not suitable for containers or indoor growing and requires patience, as establishment can be
Growing conditions
The details behind the basics
- Daily light
- 5 hours
- Watering
- Water moderately; keep soil evenly moist but well-drained · Every 7-10 days
- Maintenance
- High
- Soil
- loam
- Soil pH
- 4.9–6.8
- Temperature
- -25°F to 95°F
- Cycle
- Perennial
- Propagation
- Seed
Hardiness
USDA 4b-9b
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Form & growth
Mature size and habit
- Mature height
- 20 ft – 40 ft
- Spread
- 20 ft
- Spacing
- 12 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Root depth
- Medium
- Flowers
- Red
- Foliage
- Green · Fine
Ecology & origin
Where it belongs and what it brings
- Native to
- Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Masachusettes, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri
- Attracts
- Hummingbirds, Bees, Butterflies
Sources: trefle, usda
More Castilleja
Related plants from the same genus
Wavy-leaf paintbrush
Castilleja applegatei
Full Sun · Moderate · Slow
Castilleja angustifolia var. angustifolia
Castilleja angustifolia var. angustifolia
Partial Sun · Moderate · Moderate
Downy paintbrush
Castilleja sessiliflora
Full Sun · Moderate · Moderate
Northwestern indian paintbrush
Castilleja angustifolia
Partial Sun · Moderate · Moderate
Buy this plant
3 nurseries carry it
Indian Hill Botanicals
$5.25–$135.00Distance unavailable · 1725 N Indian Hill Blvd, Claremont, CA 91711
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$11.50–$100.00
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