Photo: Jim MorefieldCC BY-SA 4.0via Wikimedia Commonsresized / cropped
Scarlet paintbrush Plant Care
Raillardella scaposa A.Gray
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Raillardella scaposa is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name stem raillardella. It is native to the Sierra Nevada of California and western Nevada and parts of the southern Cascade Range in Oregon, where it grows in varying habitat types, from wet to dry and exposed to shaded. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing in a clump of rosetted basal leaves. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped, up to 16 centimeters long, and glandular. The plant produces an inflorescence just a few centimeters to half a meter tall consisting of flower heads which are cylindrical to hemispheric in shape. Each head contains many yellow to orange disc florets and sometimes a few ray florets. The fruit is a long, narrow achene 1 to 2 centimeters in length including its pappus of plumelike bristles.
Full sun to partial shade
At a glance
How do you care for Scarlet paintbrush?
Scarlet paintbrush grows best in full sun to partial shade.
Where Is the Scarlet paintbrush Native To?
What Is the Scarlet paintbrush?
Scarlet paintbrush (Raillardella scaposa) belongs to the Asteraceae family within the Raillardella genus. Scarlet paintbrush is native to the Sierra Nevada of California and western Nevada and parts of the southern Cascade Range in Oregon. Scarlet paintbrush is also known as Raillardella eiseni, Railliardia scaposa.
Scarlet paintbrush displays a low rosette, spreading growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Scarlet paintbrush produces small daisy-like flowers in shades of yellow and orange.
What Light Does the Scarlet paintbrush Need?
Scarlet paintbrush thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Scarlet paintbrush?
Well-draining sandy loam with added organic matter. Good drainage is essential for Scarlet paintbrush to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a Scarlet paintbrush?
Repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Scarlet paintbrush?
Scarlet paintbrush can be propagated through seeds, division of clumps. Similar propagation techniques also apply to silver raillardella plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Scarlet paintbrush Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Scarlet paintbrush, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Scarlet paintbrush?
Scarlet paintbrush is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Scarlet paintbrush is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Raillardella genus — compare its care with other Raillardella species on PlantoScan.
Raillardella is part of the Asteraceae plant family — browse all Asteraceae genera and species.
Scarlet paintbrush thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
Related Plant Care Guides
Closely related plants with similar care requirements:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Raillardella scaposa A.Gray, family Asteraceae (first published in Bot. California 1: 417 (1876)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Scarlet paintbrush, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Photo: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons — original.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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