Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis
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Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis is a native California subshrub in the Orobanchaceae family, recognized by size and color.
Coastal paintbrush is a California native perennial found in coastal and interior regions including Mendocino County, the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, and Sierra Nevada foothills in chaparral and coastal scrub at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces bright red to orange-red flowers in dense inflorescences 30 to 50 millimeters wide, occasionally with yellow tones. Growing with bristly stems 30 to 80 millimeters tall, it has a somewhat sprawling habit with occasional branched hairs. Its leaves are lanceolate with 0 to 5 lobes, creating a delicate and intricate foliage structure. The corolla reaches 25 to 40 millimeters long, surrounded by a calyx 20 to 35 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 39 sympatric species, distinguished by size and color
Habitat and range
Habitat: Chaparral, coastal scrub
Elevation: < 1800 m
California counties: Humboldt, Calaveras, San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Butte, Marin, Orange, Sutter, Fresno, Riverside, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Kern, Monterey, San Bernardino, El Dorado, Placer, Solano, Sacramento, Yolo, Tehama, Glenn, Colusa, Sonoma, Napa, San Benito, Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Alameda, Mendocino, Nevada, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Shasta, San Francisco, Del Norte, Mariposa, Amador, Siskiyou, Inyo
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis blooms Mar-Jun.
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 subsp. affinis native to California?
Yes. Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis bloom?
Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis grow?
Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis occurs in Humboldt, Calaveras, San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Butte and other counties, at elevations of < 1800 m.
What plant family does Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis belong to?
Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis is in the Orobanchaceae family, genus Castilleja.
What habitat does Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis grow in?
Castilleja affinis subsp. affinis grows in Chaparral, coastal scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Castilleja affinis subsp. litoralis — Oregon coast paintbrush
- Castilleja affinis subsp. neglecta — Tiburon paintbrush
- Castilleja ambigua — Johnny-nip
- Castilleja ambigua subsp. ambigua — johnny-nip
- Castilleja ambigua subsp. humboldtiensis — Humboldt bay owl's-clover
- Castilleja ambigua subsp. insalutata — pink Johnny-nip
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.