Castilleja miniata

Castilleja miniata belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. It is a perennial, so it lives for years. Its common names include scarlet paintbrush and giant red paintbrush. Its native range spans Alaska, Canada, and northwestern Mexico. It grows across much of western North America. Wild plants grow in damp mountain meadows and along streams. They also grow at forest edges. It comes from temperate regions, where the climate is mild. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This leafy plant forms clumps and sheds leaves with the seasons. Its stems stand upright and bear narrow leaves. The RHS describes plants about 0.8 feet [0.25 metres] tall. Its garden size range reaches 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. The listed spread also reaches 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. Plants take two to five years to reach full size. It draws some resources from host plants, making it partly parasitic. Yet the RHS says it can grow without a host.

Groups of red-orange bracts top the stems in summer. These bracts are leaf-like parts with green bases. Red flowers grow among them. The bright bracts give the plant much of its garden colour. PFAF lists June to August as its bloom season. Bloom starts sooner on low ground and later higher up. Hummingbirds, bumblebees, and long-tongued bees visit the plant. Its flowers and bracts suit beds and informal garden borders.

Grow it in full sun, with shelter from harsh weather. Keep soil moist, but let excess water drain away. The RHS lists chalk, loam, and sand as suitable soils. It also accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. Plants can grow in pots on patios and in courtyards. PFAF suggests grasses, asters, or penstemon as host plants. The RHS gives it UK hardiness H4. PFAF lists USDA zones 3–8. These ratings use different systems. Each reflects the guidance of its source.

Raise new plants from seed. You do not need to prune them as routine care. The RHS reports few usual pest or disease problems. PFAF does not flag the species as weedy. It lists no known medicinal uses. The corollas, the flower petals, hold nectar and have limited edible use. The bracts taste bitter and resinous, or like resin. The corollas taste sweet instead. But the plant may take up selenium from soil. PFAF thus limits edible use to very small amounts of corollas. This warning matters more than the plant's appeal as a garnish.