A year of flowers #60 & #61: Paintbrush

 

Castilleja miniata

 

Castilleja cusickii
 

For years I've wanted to grow Paintbrush. There are several species that grow around here, and they are a peculiar plant, because they are parasites--they need a host plant.  For years I tried to get them to grow with Idaho fescue, but it never worked.  I tried seed, I tried little plants from various sources.  Nothing.  I'd watch a plant slowly fade, and it was sad.  I heard that people got good results growing them with Taperleaf penstemon, but not me. 

Until now. 

Charlotte, whose praises I sang in the previous post, knew that I've wanted Paintbrush for years, and when there was no Idaho Native Plant Society plant sale last year, she brought me a few plants that would have been in the sale--three Castilleja and some small Taperleaf penstemon for host plants.  It was July, and really it seemed pretty futile to try to plant sensitive native species in July, but I kept watering them.  I was stunned to see this year that I've got two vigorous C. miniata clumps going, and one C. cusickii... doing great. I truly have no idea whatsoever why I was successful this time, but I think it was Charlotte spreading her awesome native plant juju.