Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Clump of scarlet desert paintbrush at Flaming gorge dam

Detailed Description

Desert paintbrush stands out against the yellows and browns of the desert by way of its bright red and fiery coloring. Desert paintbrush is a hemiparasite, and takes some of its water and nutrients from the roots of nearby plants. However, unlike full parasites, desert paintbrush can still photosynthesize to obtain some of its nutrients if needed.

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.

Was this page helpful?