Bloomipedia
Wholeleaf paintbrush (Castilleja integra)
Photo: Anders Hastings via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Wholeleaf paintbrush

Castilleja integra

Wholeleaf paintbrush (Castilleja integra) is a low shrub in the Orobanchaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–August across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Wholeleaf paintbrush is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–August.

4states where USDA records it
3Bloomipedia state lists include it
6,403U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico

Quick look

Castilleja integra, with the common names orange paintbrush, Southwestern paintbrush, and wholeleaf paintbrush, is a partially parasitic herbaceous perennial plant native to the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. The species produces a relatively large amount of nectar and is attractive to hummingbirds.

  • It belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–July. iNaturalist
  • In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–September. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,948 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #49 among the 160 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,762 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #19 among the 152 flowers on our New Mexico list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,484 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #64 among the 132 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (285 records)
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
ColoradoNativeMay–July2,948
New MexicoNativeApril–September1,762
ArizonaNativeMay–September1,484

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
New Mexico
Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
Arizona
Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
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 wholeleaf paintbrush in 4 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Alamosa, Archuleta, Boulder, Chaffee, Conejos, Custer, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Hinsdale, Huerfano, Jefferson, La Plata, Lake, Las Animas, Mineral, Otero, Park, Pueblo, Rio Grande, Saguache, Teller.

New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Catron, Cibola, Colfax, De Baca, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Guadalupe, Harding, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Quay, Rio Arriba, San Juan, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Union, Valencia.

Arizona counties with USDA records: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Santa Cruz, Yavapai.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 71 counties across 4 states; the most are in New Mexico (28), Colorado (22), Arizona (11).

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

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 Colorado flowers

Elephant's-Head lousewort (Pedicularis groenlandica)

Elephant's-Head lousewort

Pedicularis groenlandica

Native

🌼 Blooms in CO: June–August
Rhexia-leaved paintbrush (Castilleja rhexiifolia)

Rhexia-leaved paintbrush

Castilleja rhexiifolia

Native

🌼 Blooms in CO: July–August
Sickletop lousewort (Pedicularis racemosa)

Sickletop lousewort

Pedicularis racemosa

Native

🌼 Blooms in CO: July–August

Sources