Castilleja coccinea

The fan-shaped, orange-red "flowers" are actually brightly-colored, leafy bracts which appear at the stem tops in spikes and hide the tiny greenish-yellow true flowers. Blooms spring to early summer. Best grown in moist, well-drained soils in full sun. Indian Paintbrush is primarily biennial. A basal rosette shows the first year and flowering stalk the second year. Plant death occurrs shortly after seed set, and new seed usually germinates in early fall. This species is also semi-parasitic, meaning its roots will attach to and absorb some nutrients and water from the roots of other plants.