The Indian paintbrush is a wildflower that looks like someone took a paintbrush, dipped it in bright red or orange paint, and stuck it right in the ground! The colorful parts that look like petals are actually special leaves called bracts. They are the state flower of Wyoming.
Indian paintbrush flowers can be red, orange, yellow, or even pink. The real flowers are tiny and hidden inside the colorful bracts. They grow on fuzzy green stems that can be about as tall as a ruler.
- Native American children used to pick Indian paintbrush flowers and pretend they were real paintbrushes!
- The plant has a cool secret: its roots steal some food from nearby grasses underground.
- Hummingbirds love Indian paintbrush flowers because their long beaks are perfect for reaching the sweet nectar hidden deep inside.
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