These plants are from a spot just a few miles up the road from me (mentioned in my Alberta Wanderings post today)--on the edge of a semi open poplar woodland, amongst fairly heavy growth of saplings, grasses and forbs, and out into the more open roadside, this wonderful colony of mixed colour Castillejas is found.
I've assumed them to be miniata, since that's the only species supposedly in my area, and it does have some variation in colour, but I really wonder if there could be something else in the mix here?
In any case, they are quite remarkable, to me much more exciting than the usual coral/scarlet range..(which occur here in plenty, I just take fewer photos of them!)
a few shots here, whole album, from a couple visits in 09 (I have lots of shots in 2010 as well, but these are as good as any) is at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/cactuscactus/Castilleja2009#
well worth seeing for the range of variations subtle and not, and the innumerable forms of these flowers...
I've sent seed from this colony to Gardens North the last 2 years....
