Castilleja (Castilleja )

Lee Riley Horticulturist USDA FS - Dorena Genetic Resource Center 34963 Shoreview Road Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424 541-915-7324 541-767-5709 (fax) lee.riley@usda.gov

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Family Scientific Name:	Scrophulariaceae
Family Common Name:	Figwort
Scientific Name:	Castilleja Castilleja
Common Name:	Frosted Indian paintbrush
Species Code:	CAPR14
Ecotype:	Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon
General Distribution:	Native to southern Oregon and California where it grows in several forest habitat types.
Propagation Goal:	Plants
Propagation Method:	Seed
ProductType:	Container (plug)
Stock Type:	262 ml (16 in3) container
Time To Grow:	20 weeks
Target Specifications:	Stock Type: Container seedling Root System: Firm plug in container.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Due to small seed size, the easiest method is to sow seed into trays filled with stabilized medium plugs (Q-plugs). Trays are sealed inside plastic bags and placed into refrigeration at 1 to 3 °C for 90 days. Trays are checked weekly and kept moist throughout the stratification period. If mold is evident, trays should be treated with 1% hydrogen peroxide.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Greenhouse growing facility. Q-plugs are lightly covered with nursery grit. Seedlings are transplanted to target containers approximately 3 weeks following removal from stratification. Growing medium used is 40:20:20:20 peat:composted fir bark:perlite:pumice with Nutricote controlled release fertilizer (18N:6P2O5:8K2O with minors; 180-d release rate at 21C) at the rate of 1.5 gram Nutricote per 262 ml container.
Establishment Phase:	Germination is somewhat uniform, but slow. It is usually complete in 3 weeks, but plants are quite small for an extended period of time. Following germination (while still in Q-plugs), plants are fertilized with soluble 12-2-14-6Ca-3Mg at 75 to 100 ppm for 3 weeks.
Length of Establishment Phase:	4 weeks
Active Growth Phase:	Root development is somewhat slow. Shoot growth can be considered moderate throughout the active growth phase, but can be pushed to reach target height and plug density in the first year. Soluble fertilizer (20-9-20 NPK, 20-18-18 NPK, or 17-5-24 NPK) at 150 ppm is applied weekly throughout the growing season. Plants will flower in the greenhouse in August.
Length of Active Growth Phase:	16 weeks
Hardening Phase:	No dry-down is done to induce dormancy. Seedlings are moved to an outdoor growing area in late September.
Length of Hardening Phase:	2 to 3 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	Harvest Date: Early October Storage Conditions: Seedlings are usually outplanted in fall. No storage except in outdoor growing area. Plants are well irrigated prior to shipping and shipped in containers.
Other Comments:	The rare species Castilleja gleasonii, which is endemic to the San Gabriel Mountains of California, is sometimes included in C. pruinosa As with other Castilleja spp., research has shown that paintbrush can be an alternate host for white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola).
References:	Dorena Genetic Resource Center Propagation Records, unpublished. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. nd. Castilleja pruinosa Fernald. Frosted Indian paintbrush URL: https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CAPR14 (accessed 14 Oct 2018).

Citation:

Riley, Lee E.. 2018. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Castilleja Castilleja Plants 262 ml (16 in3) container; USDA FS - Dorena Genetic Resource Center Cottage Grove, Oregon. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/24). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.