Valley tassels facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Valley tassels |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Castilleja
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| Species: |
attenuata
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Castilleja attenuata, often called valley tassels or attenuate Indian paintbrush, is a beautiful wild plant. It's a type of Indian paintbrush, which is a group of colorful wildflowers. You can find this plant growing naturally in western North America, from British Columbia all the way down through California to Baja California. It likes to grow in open areas like grasslands and sunny woodlands.
About Valley Tassels
Valley tassels is a special kind of plant because it's an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, blooms, makes new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It's a plant that brings a lot of color to its habitat during its short life.
What it Looks Like
This plant can grow to be about 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) tall, which is roughly the height of a small dog. Its leaves are long and thin, shaped like lines, and can be several centimeters long.
The most interesting part of the valley tassels plant is its flowers. The flowers grow in a cluster called an inflorescence. Around the actual flowers, there are special leaves called bracts. These bracts are usually divided into three parts and have bright yellow or white tips. Peeking out from between these colorful bracts are fuzzy white flowers that often have tiny purple and yellow dots. This mix of colors makes the plant stand out in its natural home.
Where Valley Tassels Grow
Valley tassels are native to a large area in western North America. This includes parts of Canada, like British Columbia, and stretches south through the United States, covering states like California, Oregon, and Washington (state). It also grows further south into Baja California in Mexico. This plant thrives in sunny spots, often found in open fields, meadows, and the edges of forests. It's a common sight in many natural areas across these regions.
