Indian Paintbrush

13 years ago

Does anyone know where you can either buy seeds or plants (in the Bay Area) for Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja affinis).

Thanks!

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Comments (5)

csmartyonline
13 years ago
Hi -- Did you ever find these? I see that Seedville has the seeds for sale on Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/INDIAN-PAINTBRUSH-Castilleja-Indivisa-Flower/dp/B004YRD55W
dapjwy
13 years ago
I don't know where to find seed, but I did want to mention that I believe the plant is partially parasitic to tree roots (oak, I think)...so, I have to wonder how easily they can be grown from seed or successfully grown to maturity without this host. Just a thought.

Good luck in your endeavor, and if you find more information or achieve success, please post a follow-up.

David
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Comments (3)
Well it seems you know about everything you need to know. But it just may come to you letting the grass grow there also. I cannot see why if you are going wildflowers. As for self seeding those along the road seem to do just fine without any help even when they get mowed down after their blooms are gone and the seeds have dried. It is as semi-root-parasite. I had one gowning in my yard with all the grass cut just like the rest of my yard. I only problem I had was one of those fools working for the city took his bush-hog and cut it below the soil level. This was the only thing he touched as I kept my yard cut all the time.
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Comments (1)
Your best chance may be to dig a few up along side the road. They are a partial root parasite and therefore need other plants such as weeds or grass to keep them alive. Here in Texas they grow wild and at one time I found about 4 different colors so I dug them up and took them home. To make sure they would live I weeded them and they all died. That was when I looked them up to find out why they died. Seems they need other roots to feed them. When I planted them in my yard with all the grasses they did find until some city employee bush hogged them to the ground.
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Comments (4)
Here in Texas they grow wild. Years back I dug up some; all different colors. I loved them so much I made sure I planted them in good soil and took great care to be sure there were no weeds to prevent their growth and they died. Seems they are a partial root parasite and need other plants to feed off for their food supply. So the next time I planted them next to my drainage ditch and some nice City employee came by with his mower and cut into the earth to be sure he killed the plant. I had always kept my yard mowed without the cities help but that ended my planting of Indian paintbrush plants. Have never tried harvesting their seeds. Thanks for the post brings back memories of their beauty. Paul
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Comments (2)
Thanks, Janet! I thought I had read (somewhere???) that the Bluebonnet can also be sowed in perhaps August to get the first bloom pre-frost. Otherwise, the suggestion is to plant before the last frost in the spring and maximize the germination cycle. About the most I've personally grown is an African Violet and even Charles Manson couldn't kill one of those puppies! I saw a USA kit that was a bunch of lupines with instructions to plant them in the form of the letters USA. I also saw a yellow ribbon that was a seasonal bulb, but I don't know which ones.
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michiganpete
13 years ago
I think you might be thinking of the "Indian Pipe" plant(Monotropa uniflora) which is myco-heterotroph, that is, it is parasitic to the fungi that live on tree roots.
lycopus
13 years ago
Don't know about that species but the Castilleja we have in the east is a hemiparasite of grasses. Squaw root is a parasite of oaks.
scotjute Z8
13 years ago
Native American Seed should have Indian Paintbrush seeds.

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Indian Paintbrush

Comments (5)

csmartyonline

dapjwy

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michiganpete

lycopus

scotjute Z8

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