Flower profile

Unalaska paintbrush

Castilleja unalaschcensis

Unalaska paintbrush (Castilleja unalaschcensis) is a flowering plant in the Orobanchaceae family.

Native to Alaska

Unalaska paintbrush is a wildflower.

1states where USDA records it

956AK sightings*

956U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alaska

Quick look

It belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. ^NatureServe
iNaturalist has 956 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #47 among the 121 flowers on our Alaska list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month in Alaska (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (33 records)

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
Alaska: No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Alaska.
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 unalaska paintbrush in 1 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alaska.

Alaska counties with USDA records: Aleutians East, Aleutians West, Anchorage, Chugach, Copper River, Haines, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Sitka, Yakutat.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Native; Canada: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 13 counties across 1 states; the most are in Alaska (13).

Other Castilleja on Bloomipedia (11): Texas paintbrush, Purple owl's-clover, Felt paintbrush, Giant red paintbrush, Desert paintbrush, Wholeleaf paintbrush, Wyoming paintbrush, Painted-cup paintbrush, Rhexia-leaved paintbrush, Downy painted-cup.

More from the Orobanchaceae family (24 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Canadian lousewort, Warrior's plume, Elephant's-Head lousewort, Narrowleaf cow wheat, Sickletop lousewort, Florida bluehearts, Bracted lousewort, Dwarf lousewort.

More Alaska flowers

Northern groundcone

Boschniakia rossica

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in AK

Whorled lousewort

Pedicularis verticillata

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in AK

Labrador lousewort

Pedicularis labradorica

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in AK

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile CAUN4.
iNaturalist, Castilleja unalaschcensis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Alaska: Alaska prohibited and restricted noxious weeds (11 AAC 34.020).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Castilleja unalaschcensis (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Amber M. King via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.