Castilleja affinis
Indian paintbrush
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Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Castilleja affinis (Indian paintbrush) is a native California subshrub in the Orobanchaceae family.
Indian paintbrush is a California native perennial found in diverse mountain and coastal habitats across California from low to mid-elevation ranges. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces striking red to yellow flowers with green to dark purple lower lips, creating distinctive colorful bracts. Growing with slender stems 15 to 60 centimeters tall, the plant ranges from green to purplish and features few branches with sparse hair. Its leaves are linear to lanceolate, typically with zero to five thin lobes and rounded tips, creating a delicate structural appearance. The fruit capsules are 10 to 15 millimeters long, containing small seeds with intricately netted seed coats.
Habitat and range
California counties: Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Mateo, Napa, San Benito, Fresno, Mendocino, Monterey, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Calaveras, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, Marin, Solano, Humboldt, Butte, Sonoma, Lake, El Dorado, Orange, Riverside, Tulare, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Kern, Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Bernardino, Nevada, Colusa, Glenn, Placer, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Amador, Shasta, Yuba, Siskiyou, Inyo, Mono, Yolo
How to tell it apart
vs Triphysaria: Castilleja lacks the sharp fold in flower throat; Triphysaria has abrupt crease above lower lip.; vs Trifolium: Castilleja has tubular flowers with colorful bracts; Trifolium has round heads of pea-like flowers and three leaflets.; vs Pedicularis: Castilleja has open forward beak and colorful bracts; Pedicularis has closed hood and fern-like leaves.; vs Orthocarpus: Castilleja has open beak you can see into; Orthocarpus has closed hood covering stamens completely.; vs Epilobium: Castilleja has tubular two-lipped flowers and colorful bracts; Epilobium has four separate petals arranged in cross.
Frequently asked questions
Is Castilleja affinis native to California?
Yes. Castilleja affinis is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Castilleja affinis grow?
Castilleja affinis occurs in Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Mateo, Napa, San Benito, Fresno, Mendocino and other counties.
What plant family does Castilleja affinis belong to?
Castilleja affinis is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Castilleja.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.