Description

Key Information:

Soil: Hydric (Wet) – Mesic (Medium)
Sun: Full Sun – Part Sun
Height: 3-4 feet
Bloom Color: Cream White
Bloom Season: July – September

More Details:

Suggested Uses: Turtlehead has creamy white turtle-shaped tubular flowers that make this plant a unique and interesting addition to rain gardens, shorelines and wildflower gardens. This plant is attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds and also makes a nice cut flower! Can be found in calcareous fens.

Native Range: Native to the Upper Midwest, New England and Appalachia.

Pollinators: Bumble bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Host plant for the Baltimore checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton).

Flowers: The tube-like 1 1/2″ flowers have a long upper lip that arches over the hairy lower lip. The flowers bloom in a long tight cluster at the top of the plant. Some people think that they resemble a turtle’s head.

Leaves: The opposite, narrow leaves are 3-6″ long and coarsely toothed.

Interesting Facts:

Name: The flower gets its common and scientific name from its resemblance to a tortoise or turtle. Chelone means tortoise in Greek.

More information: USDA plant profile