Flower profile

Giant red paintbrush

Castilleja miniata

Native in the lower 48

Giant red paintbrush is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–September.

13states

3of our state lists

10,060U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

Quick look

Castilleja miniata is a species of Indian paintbrush known by the common name giant red paintbrush. It is native to western North America from Alaska to Ontario to California to New Mexico, where it grows usually in moist places in a wide variety of habitat types.
From Wikipedia's article Castilleja miniata, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 13 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. ^NatureServe
In Idaho, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–September. ^iNaturalist
In Montana, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–September. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,033 research-grade sightings of it in Idaho, ranking #17 among the 109 flowers on our Idaho list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 644 research-grade sightings of it in Montana, ranking #67 among the 109 flowers on our Montana list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 407 research-grade sightings of it in Wyoming, ranking #70 among the 107 flowers on our Wyoming list. ^iNaturalist

Giant red paintbrush gift ideas

Handmade giant red paintbrush gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,158 records)

Bloom time in each of our 3 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Idaho	Native	June–September	1,033
Montana	Native	June–September	644
Wyoming	Native	June–September	407

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Idaho: No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Idaho.
Montana: No list Montana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Montana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Montana.
Wyoming: No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Wyoming.
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records giant red paintbrush in 13 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Idaho counties with USDA records: Ada, Adams, Bannock, Bear Lake, Blaine, Boise, Bonner, Bonneville, Butte, Camas, Caribou, Cassia, Clark, Clearwater, Custer, Elmore, Franklin, Fremont, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lemhi, Lewis, Nez Perce, Owyhee, Power, Shoshone, Teton, Twin Falls, Valley, Washington.

Montana counties with USDA records: Beaverhead, Carbon, Deer Lodge, Gallatin, Granite, Jefferson, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Madison, Meagher, Missoula, Park, Phillips, Ravalli, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Yellowstone.

Wyoming counties with USDA records: Albany, Big Horn, Carbon, Fremont, Johnson, Lincoln, Park, Sheridan, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton, Uinta, Washakie.

More Idaho flowers

Elephant's-Head lousewort

Pedicularis groenlandica

Native

🌼 Blooms in ID: June–August

Desert paintbrush

Castilleja chromosa

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in ID

Sickletop lousewort

Pedicularis racemosa

Native

🌼 Blooms: July–September

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CAMI12.
iNaturalist, Castilleja miniata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Castilleja miniata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Idaho: Idaho noxious weeds (IDAPA 02.06.09, Section 220).
Montana: Montana noxious weed list (Admin. R. Mont. 4.5.206–4.5.210).
Wyoming: Wyoming state designated noxious weeds (W.S. 11-5-102(a)(xi)), as listed by the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council.
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Castilleja miniata (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Bob Walker via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.