It feels like Spring is in the air here in the Wind River Canyon, but Winter can rear it's cold and nasty head anytime in Wyoming.  So, to brighten this early March even more, I'll write this blog on the best wildflower in Wyoming, Prairie-Fire, or as it's more commonly known, the beautiful Indian Paintbrush. 

     The Indian Paintbrush became the Wyoming State Flower on January 31, 1917; there being over 200 species world-wide, the particular varietal in this state is scientifically known as Castilleja linariifolia; and no, this isn't a misspelling.  The Indian Paintbrush grows from Alaska to the Andes, and even though I've never seen it grow this high, it can grow to one meter in height.  The flower itself is edible, and some Native-Americans used it as part of their salad, but the greenery is poison.  It absorbs selenium from the soil and can be toxic. 

     In most of Wyoming the Indian Paintbrush will bloom in early June, in colors of flame and yellow.  It's an amazing sight when you're hiking, to see these bright flowers glowing in the sun.  But, the State Flower of Wyoming is a hemiparasitic plant; that's right, it's a parasite!  When a professor at UW told me that the Indian Paintbrush was a parasite, we couldn't believe it.  The beautiful flowering plant needs to tap into the root system of another host plant, in this case that plant being the sagebrush.  This is the reason you can't get seeds at the store or a pot of them at your flower shop.  It can survive only with the root system of the sage, and this is why nobody can grow them in their garden; it's not illegal, just impossible!  

     The fact that our State Flower of Wyoming is a parasite does nothing to detract from it's startling beauty; this actually makes the flower that much more rare and wonderful to find on your own.  So, with Spring just around the corner (hopefully), plan on trying to find an Indian Paintbrush this June; it'll be an adventure....I promise!

Indian Paintbrush, Wyoming State Flower, Wind River CanyonWyoming State Flower, Indian Paintbrush, Photographed in the Wind River Canyon Wyoming State Flower, Indian Paintbrush, Wind River CanyonWyoming State Flower, Indian Paintbrush, Photographed in the Wind River Canyon