Janet Brien's photos with the keyword: Indian Paintbrush

This image was taken on the hike to the base of Pilot Rock in Southern Oregon on July 23

This image was taken during the MeetUp hike we went on at Mt. Ashland in Southern Oregon on July 30, 2011

I'll never forget the first time I saw one of these flowers last year, when Steve and I were on a group hike. I saw it and stopped dead in my tracks, saying, "WOAH! What the heck is THAT!!!" These flowers, with their strangely-shaped, fiery orange petals, are unforgettable. They look as if they were dipped in paint, which is exactly why they got their name! :D This flower is one of about 200 species, one of which is the state flower of Wyoming ! :) Paintbrush plants are actually parasitic, living off the nourishment of roots from plants around them. They are also edible, and the flowers were often eaten by Native Americans as a condiment with salad greens. As well, it was used as a hair wash, a treatment for rhumatis, sexually transmitted diseases, and to enhance the immune system. And yet, the fact that this plant absorbs selenium easily makes the roots or green parts poisonous! Fascinating, isn't it?! :) If you would like to know more about this flower, Wiki has a great source here: Wiki: Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja) I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too! Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :)

I decided to walk up on the side of our hill this afternoon to see if there were any new flowers to find. Then I remembered that if I got to the right elevation, I'd find just what I was looking for...and a few minutes later I saw the flash of fire I was hoping for! The Indian Paintbrush flowers were in full bloom!! Better still, the sun was low and making these unusual beauties blaze! They are a sight to behold and I still remember how excited I was when I found them here for the first time! Such a marvelous blossom to grow wild here! :) William Wordsworth (7 April 1770 – 23 April 1850) was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads. Wikipedia: William Wordsworth