Castilleja miniata
Great red paintbrush
(c) J Brew, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Orobanchaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Castilleja miniata (Great red paintbrush) is a native California subshrub in the Orobanchaceae family.
Great red paintbrush is a California native perennial found in mountain and foothill regions in alpine meadows, conifer forests, and open woodlands at elevations of 1,000 to 2,500 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces bright red to yellow-red flowers in showy bracts 15 to 35 millimeters long with striking color variations. Growing with erect stems 40 to 80 centimeters tall, often turning purplish and ranging from glabrous to soft-hairy toward the upper portions. Its lance-shaped leaves measure 30 to 60 millimeters long, with acute tips and an entire margin, arranged alternately along the stem. The distinctive flowers feature a yellow-green corolla with red margins and a lower lip barely emerging from bright red bracts, creating a vivid display in mountain habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated from all congeners
Habitat and range
California counties: Los Angeles, Siskiyou, Mono, Trinity, Fresno, Tuolumne, Tehama, Tulare, Nevada, Madera, Lassen, El Dorado, Alpine, Placer, San Bernardino, Plumas, Del Norte, Butte, Sierra, Ventura, Lake, Shasta, Mariposa, San Luis Obispo, Glenn, Modoc, Inyo, Riverside, San Diego, Humboldt, Colusa, Calaveras, San Benito, Alameda, Kern, Mendocino, San Francisco, Amador
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 miniata native to California?
Yes. Castilleja miniata is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Castilleja miniata grow?
Castilleja miniata occurs in Los Angeles, Siskiyou, Mono, Trinity, Fresno, Tuolumne, Tehama, Tulare and other counties.
What plant family does Castilleja miniata belong to?
Castilleja miniata 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.