Texas Indian Paintbrush

Honeybees forage on this plant primarily for pollen with limited nectar rewards during its spring bloom, which peaks in March through May in its native range. As a hemiparasitic annual or biennial, it requires association with host grasses like little bluestem for nutrient uptake and successful cultivation. It thrives in dry, sandy soils but may not persist without proper hosts and is not known to be invasive.