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Castilleja coccinea [ kas - tee - LEE - uh ] [ kok - SIN - ee - uh ] , is a blossom annual works found in moist prairies and meadow .
It ’s aboriginal to North America , growing from Maine to Minnesota and Florida to Louisiana .

Castilleja coccinea is part of the Castilleja ( Native American paintbrush ) genus , which belong to the Orobanchaceae family .
The coccinea species has several common names associate to the showy red calyx protect the flower .
Common names let in :

Scarlet Amerindic paintbrush is a hemiparasitic plant , provide it to find nutrition from nearby plants .
Castilleja Coccinea Care
Size and Growth
ruby-red paintbrush is an upright flora with unbranching root word arising from a basal rosette .
The stems are hairy , green , and 4″ to 28″ column inch tall .
The basal leaves are elliptic , while the shank leaves are on an irregular basis mould .
It ’s a biennial plant .
During the first year , it produces rose window of leaves .
During the second year , unbranching spikes dash from the center of the rosettes .
Flowering and Fragrance
The industrial plant bloom in the spring , producing a red calyx from which a greenish - yellow bloom emerges .
The flowers attain a little over an inch long and let in anthesis bracts with rich lobes .
After florescence , the seminal fluid set , and the plant dies .
look on the surround , the seeds may produce fresh growth the next bounce .
Light and Temperature
The paintbrush flower grows almost anywhere it can receive full sun .
It ’s suitable for year - round ontogeny in USDA hardiness zona 4 to 8 .
In southerly states , the plant life may need fond shade .
Watering and Feeding
Soil and Transplanting
The paintbrush flower produce best in well - drained soil with medium moisture .
Use standard soil with added constitutional material , such as compost or peat moss .
If the territory does n’t drain within several Clarence Day , remedy the soil with grit or perlite to amend drainage .
Indian paintbrush has a delicate rootage organisation and may not live the transplant mental process .
It ’s best to sow in the germ direct in the last locating for the flora .
Grooming
Grooming is n’t needed for the Indian paintbrush .
The plant reaches its full height during the first twelvemonth , produces flowers during the 2d year , and then dies off .
How to Propagate Indian Paintbrush Flower
Propagate using seeds .
The plant freely reseeds in optimum growing conditions , and it is n’t always enough to demonstrate annual dependency .
In cooler region , wait until the source of summer to sow the seeds , check temperature are at least 55 ° to 65 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 13 ° – 18 ° C ) .
During the 2nd year , prime should appear in the early spring or former summertime , depending on when the seeds were sown the former year .
The plant will then die again , ask another rhythm of generation .
Planting new seeds each year ensures a continual colony of Native American paintbrushes along with flowers each year instead of every other year .
Indian Paintbrush Flower Pest or Disease Problems
Castilleja coccinea does n’t suffer from any serious insect or disease trouble .
Avoid plant Native American paintbrushes in field where animals , pets , or children may be tempted to eat the plant .
While it ’s not toxic , the Indian paintbrush contain high grade of selenium .
Consuming large portions of the plant may lead to keen atomic number 34 perniciousness .
Symptoms include nausea , emesis , fatigue duty , and foul breath .
Suggested Castilleja Coccinea Uses
The colored flowers of the Indian paintbrush plant look not bad get over a prairie or clear landscape .
They also work well in aboriginal plant gardens .