This picturesque scene in Arches National Park reveals a rare view of an Indian paintbrush nestled among the park's signature sandstone fins. These clusters of colorful wildflowers once spread across the west, only to be uprooted by the plow. Averaging a foot in height, the clumps of showy annuals produce a flower surrounded by red-tipped spiky bracts. Indian paintbrush roots, semi-parasitic, attach to adjacent plants, absorbing nutrients and water from other plants. The Indian paintbrush plant has a reputation of being unpredictable and nearly impossible to transplant.
Native American folklore relates a story of a young brave frustrated in his attempts in painting a sunset. His pleas were answered by the Great Spirit, giving him paintbrushes laden with sunset colors. Just like any youngster, the brave dropped his spent paintbrushes in the fields. These brushes sprouted into the wonderful reds, scarlets, yellows and purples of the Indian paintbrush. The Arches Flower Guide makes an attempt to list all the flowers in the park and includes the red paintbrush.