Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - July 14, 2010
From: Bend, OR
Region: Northwest
Topic: Propagation
Title: When are seeds of Indian paintbrush mature from Bend OR
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
How do I know when to collect seeds of Indian paintbrush - when are they mature?ANSWER:
There are 50 species of the genus Castilleja native to North America and 17 native to Oregon, so we searched those for one that seemed most likely to be growing in your area. Castilleja applegatei (wavyleaf Indian paintbrush) grows in Deschutes County, OR according to the USDA Plant Profile. It also looks very similar to the Indian Paintbrush that we are familiar with in Texas and we will use it for our example.
We found no Propagation Instructions on this specific Paintbrush, so we are quoting these from the most common Texas paintbrush, Castilleja indivisa."Propagation
Propagation Material: Seeds
Description: Seed in open, sunny sites for best results. Indian paintbrush seed may require a cold wet period in the winter to germinate. Plant the seed in the fall and rake it into loose topsoil to ensure good seed/soil contact. Seeds are exceptionally small (4 million seeds per pound), commercially available, depending on the previous year’s seed crop and can be expensive. The recommended seeding rate in 1/4 pound per acre.
Seed Collection: Seeds are formed in capsules at the base of each flower. Seed capsules may be carefully collected by hand April – May when the capsules are dry and brown.
Commercially Avail: yes
Maintenance: After flowering ceases, allow seeds to completely mature before mowing for reseeding or collecting to plant in a new area. Since C. indivisa is an annual, it is essential that this species be allowed to reseed for an abundant display for the following year."
From the website Dave's Garden, we found these instructions on the specific Castilleja applegatei (wavyleaf Indian paintbrush) from personal experience:
"I've since collected seeds from that original plant and have now established this paintbrush in over 20 locations in my garden. I simply collected the seeds as soon as the stems appeared completely dry and scattered them immediately upon the surface of bare un-amended soil somewhere near a known host plant--such as Wright's Buckwheat--'Eriogonum wrightii'. My original Applegate's Paintbrush is also still flourishing and expanding it's terrritory in my dry rocky soil, but the Scarlet Penstemon from which it sprang seems to have succumbed to the parasitical nature of the castilleja."
The timing of collecting the seeds of Castilleja indivisa (entireleaf Indian paintbrush) may be a little off, since we are in USDA Hardiness Zone 8a and you appear to be in Zone 6a. In you were in Texas, it would already be past the time for collecting seeds, but in Oregon, this may be the time. As you note in the references above, the seeds are very tiny. The plant is an annual, so reseeding from the original is really the only way to keep the flowers in your garden, short of buying seeds every year. You also need to remember that this plant is hemi-parasitic, requiring that there be nitrogen fixing plants in the near vicinity for use by the paintbrush roots.
From our Native Plant Image Gallery:
More Propagation Questions
Male pollinator to produce berries on Juniperus virginiana from Amston CT
November 08, 2012 - We have planted 3 juniperus virginiana 'Glauca' (on our Connecticut property) that have a few blue berries on them. Will they need a male pollinator to make berries? We do not have other juniperus...
view the full question and answer
Cold stratification of Rudbeckcia maxima from Birdeye AR
August 08, 2013 - How long do I cold stratify Rudbeckia maxima seeds that I wild harvested? Can I put them in the freezer instead of fridge?
Do I need to make sure they are completely dry before cold strat?
view the full question and answer
Saving seeds of western red cedar from Monroe WA
June 06, 2011 - I would like to know how to save and store seeds of western redcedar if not planning on planting them their current year.
view the full question and answer
When to plant Indian paintbrush seeds
August 25, 2008 - I live in Santa Fe, Texas and I've been trying to find the right date to plant Indian Paintbrush seeds but so far have been unsuccessful. I know it says in the fall but that seems to be a broad rang...
view the full question and answer
Repotting from 4-inch pots
April 18, 2006 - Hello. A week ago I purchased some native plants at the wildflower center plant sale. I would like to know how to repot these seedlling native plants. They are in 4" pots right now. I have as follows...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |