Orobanchaceae

Downy Indian paintbrush

Castilleja purpurea (Nutt.) G.Don

Family: Orobanchaceae
Genus: Castilleja

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Downy Indian paintbrush (Castilleja purpurea) — FlowerPhoto: Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (1)

English: Downy Indian paintbrush

Synonyms

Castilleja purpurea f. corallina Waterf.
Castilleja purpurea var. purpurea
Castilleja williamsii Pennell
Euchroma purpurea Nutt.

Flowers

In flower: March to April (from 497 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb, Subshrub
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: native

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Turner Brockman, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Jared Shorma, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Clinton & Charles Robertson from Del Rio, Texas & College Station, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Cleveland Powell, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Sam Kieschnick, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Cody Stricker, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: saltyhiker, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

More in Castilleja

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.