Indian Paintbrush

Indian paintbrush is the state flower of Wyoming.  Although most are red on top, some are yellow or orange.  The colorful parts of these plants are often thought of as flowers, but they are not!  The flowers are tiny. The brightly colored parts are called bracts, which surround the flower but are neither flowers nor leaves.  The large bracts are where most of the nutrition and medicinal properties are found. The top half of the plant is collected as a food, eaten fresh as a salad green or cooked.  These plants are slightly sweet when in bloom and a good source of the essential nutrients selenium, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and bioflavonoid (carotenoids), necessary for vitamins to function in the body and strengthening for the heart and circulatory system.

In the Crow tradition these plants were crushed and put into open wounds or on any skin condition to promote healing.  Clinical studies have shown that the combination of nutrients found in paintbrush can shrink cancerous tumors.

There are over 50 species which vary greatly in color and size, from four inches to 16 inches tall.  Most are parasitic on the roots of other plants such as sagebrush upon which they rely for essential nutrients.

In this next video, John asks Grant Bulltail about how the Crow use Indian Paintbrush.