John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society’s
Wildflower Spot – September 2006
TURTLEHEAD
Chelone
spp.
These flowers are well
named because when viewed from the side, they look just like a
turtle with its mouth open; push the sides of the blossom and
the mouth actually opens. White or rose-pink, the flowers
are one inch long in short spikes at the ends of 1-3-foot stems.
They will grow shorter when pinched back in the spring.
Turtleheads like partial
shade and moisture, so use plenty of humus and mulch to hold in
moisture. They can be grown in containers, but the pot
should have a saucer of water at all times. These plants
grow naturally on the coastal plain along streambanks, in wet
meadows, swamps, and marshes. Blooming July-October, they
make long-lasting cut flowers and are attractive to butterflies.
Written by Helen Hamilton, president of the John
Clayton Chapter of theVirginia Native Plant Society
Photo taken at Seasons Trace development in Williamsburg,
August, 2006 by Helen Hamilton
