Red paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)

Gitxsan name: ihlee'em ts'ak (bleeding nose)
Wet'suwet'en name: unknown

Botanical Description

• bright red to scarlet perennial, about 60 cm tall, with or without fine hairs on the leaves
• usually found in open woods, meadows, thickets, grassy slopes, clearings, gravel bars and roadsides
• low to high elevations

Photo courtesy of Frank Boas (58kB)

Ethnobotanical Use

This plant was boiled whole and the decoction was drunk as a treatment for nose bleeds, bleeding in general, stiff lungs, bad eyes, lame backs and kidney problems. It was also used as a purgative and diuretic.  The Wet'suwet'en people report that long ago parents forbade children to pick the red paintbrush because it was considered sacred.

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This digital collection was produced under contract to the SchoolNet Digital Collection Program, Industry Canada.
Revised: 08/21/98