Species Cusick's Indian Paintbrush
light-yellow flowers with green leaves and stems

Cusick's Indian Paintbrush

Castilleja cusickii

Also Known As - Cusick's Paintbrush
Cusick's Indian paintbrush (Castilleja cusickii) is a unique wildflower from the Pacific Northwest. Growing up to 2 feet tall, the plant is a perennial herb characterized by bright red, yellow, and orange bracts on top of individual blossoms. The leaves are waxy, lance-shaped, and arranged in a basal rosette. The brown central stem terminates in a showy head of red flowers that donates its namesake. Prefers habitats along rocky hillsides and open meadows, Cusick's Indian paintbrush is found in western Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. This species is on the endangered species list in Washington and Montana and is protected in Oregon.

Watering:

Average

Propagation:

Seed Propagation,Division,Cutting,Layering Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

Flowers:

Yellow Flowers

Sun:

Sun, Partial Shade

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green,yellow

Growth Rate:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Cusick's Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja cusickii) should be watered weekly, or more often if there is limited rainfall. The soil should be moist at all times, but not soggy. Water deeply at the base of the plant early in the morning, enough to moisten the soil to a depth of 10-12 inches. If puddles form at the base of the plant, do not continue to water until it has settled and been absorbed.

sunlight

Cusick's Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja cusickii) grows best in full sunlight or light shade. Generally, a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight is needed each day for optimal growth and flowering. The amount of sunlight varies depending on location, with less required in hotter, more direct sunlight areas and more sunlight needed in cooler, shadier locations. It is best to provide the plant with as much direct morning light as possible, as this will help encourage more, and showier, blooms.

pruning

Prune Cusick's Indian Paintbrush in late summer to fall. Pruning should be done by removing old stems 2 inches or so below the flower buds. Deadheading may be done during the blooming period to remove spent flowers and promote additional blooms. Heavy pruning should only be done when necessary, otherwise, light pruning to remove diseased, damaged, or dead stems is recommended.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

Cusick's Indian Paintbrush typically starts flowering in April.