Indian paintbrush

[Anonymous]

How do I propagate Indian Paintbrush from seed?</p>

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure my earlier message got posted, so I'll try again.

There is a protocol for propagating Castilleja, develped by Patti Kreiberg.

You must cold stratify the seeds for exactly 4 weeks. Then you plant them in a very fine-textured, sandy medium. I have seen this work outdoors, so a greenhouse is not essential. Reasonably constant, mild conditions may help, though.

As I recall, Patti found there was no need to plant the seeds with a host plant. She worked only with the coastal species of paintbrush, so her experience may not apply to species from the deserts or mountains. She did not think these species were obligate parasites, and her observations led her to believe that the 'host' plant's main function was to forge a path through the soil for the weak paintbrush roots.

At any rate, the seeds should germinate when planted in flats or small pots. The seedlings must be handled with great care, as they will be very small and fragile. When they are of reasonable size, they can be planted out. You probably don't want to keep them for a long time in a pot - not a plant suitable for container growing.

It seems to me that she recommended planting them into a somewhat established garden or landscape. That way, whatever they need, like mature host plant roots or mycorrhizal fungi, is likelier to be present.

Paintbrushes must have good drainage, and a water regimen similar to what they would get in the wild. In other words, they are probably not suited to the well-watered, English perennial border type of garden.

Good luck!

Lori</p>