Not quite a paintbrush.... Scrophularia chrysantha

[Kelaidis]

The Scrophs (or is it now Plantaginaceae?) are split between Penstemon, Castilleja and Veronica...which leaves out a few odd ball cousins like Paederota, Synthyris, Calceolaria and a few other wierdies I have an excessive fondness for...including Scrophularia. This is actually quite a large genus of mostly rather homely plants, although I am quite fond of many of them due to sheer stubborness or perversity. Who knows. I have grown this little hummer on and off for several decades: I think it is largely Western Asian, although I grew a very condensed cousin from Central Asia I obtained from Josef Halda for many years that I miss a lot.

Not much more to be said about it, but it does make a good combo with Hyacinths....

[Hoy]

Interesting plant!
Before I went to Turkey last summer I thought of Scrophularia as weeds as the only one I knew was S. nodosa (pollinated by wasps by the way). But high up in the mountain of Suphan (SUP-HAN) I came across a special, garden-worthy plant which I recognised as a Scrophularia. It turned out to be S. chrysantha (or a close relative?). I found no seed and could not take cuttings so I have just pictures of it. I am not sure it would have grown in my garden anyway!

[Todd Boland]

Nice Scrophularia Trond!  We have that cursed S. nodosa..it is considered an invasive alien plant in North America.

[cohan]

Cool plants! --lots of interesting things in this family-- Besseya, Rhinanthus (a local annual I am very fond of), Pedicularis! some others I have seen in seedlists--without mentioning the obvious Mimulus, Verbascum etc