About
Giant Indian Paintbrush is a perennial wildflower Native to western and central North America, from Alaska throughout BC, down to California, and east to the Canadian prairies and central United States. It stands About one to three feet tall solitary or in patches; found in a variety of habitats, including wet or dry meadows, fields, grassy slopes, forest edges and clearings. Prefers moist, well drained soil.
Flower Spikes of Brilliant red, sometimes orange, and rarely yellow appear all season, from May to September. This colourful display resembling a "paint brush" is actually from showy bracts and calyx, where the green tubular flowers are more hidden. Flowers are primarily pollinated by hummingbirds since they're tucked in too deep for bees to reach. Stems are stiff and grow from a woody base, leaves are hairy and lance shaped.
Giant Indian Paintbrush is hemiparasitic, meaning it relies partially on other plants for energy. The vast roots system connects to surrounding plants to substitute for some of its nutrition; therefore should it either be grown from direct sowing in established areas with other plants (blue grama grass works well), or transplanted along with it's neighboring plants.
Growing From Seed
Growing from seed is one of the most economical and satisfying ways to build a native plant garden. The table shows brief planting instructions, including how long and what kind of stratification this plant needs. For further information on stratification and seed preparation please refer to our article: Preparing To Grow Wild Plant Seeds
| Seeds/Packet | Coming soon... |
|---|---|
| Seeds/Gram | Coming soon... |
| Cost/Gram | Price coming soon... For bulk orders (min $20) |
| Dormancy Treatment | Coming soon... |
| Seeding Instructions | Coming soon... |
Growing From Plants
Seedlings are a more economical option than established plants and an easier start than growing from seed. Our plants are shipped in soil blocks or plug trays. Plants do surprizingly well in the mail but need special care upon arrival. Please see Planting Mail Order Seedlings for information on how to plant and care for seedlings.
Shipping
We currently ship within the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, and it usually takes 2-5 business days in the mail once shipped. Seeds ship year-round. Plants are generally available from May to September and can be reserved during off season; Shipping costs are calculated during checkout. Seed orders over $100 ship free! See Shipping for more details.