How to Grow and Care for Turtlehead Plant (Chelone)
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Reviewed by Julie Thompson-AdolfReviewed by Julie Thompson-Adolf
Turtlehead (Chelone oblique) is a clump-forming perennial wildflower native to eastern North America. Its hooded flowers resemble snapdragon blooms. Turtlehead plants grow best in boggy areas but can optionally grow in a shaded home garden with about four hours of sunlight, rich, moist soil, and temperate climates (USDA zones 3 through 9). Their leaves are dark green, toothed, and oval-shaped and have upright-standing stems that feature blooms from midsummer to fall.
How Turtlehead Plants Got Their Name
The flower gets its common name from its resemblance to a turtle's head, but the species and genus name "Chelone" dates back to a story in ancient Greek mythology. The nymph, Chelone, did not attend the marriage of Zeus and Hera, so she and her house were tossed into a river, where she transformed into a tortoise who carried her house on her back.
Common name | Turtlehead, red turtlehead, shellflowers |
Botanical Name | Chelone obliqua |
Family | Plantaginaceae |
Plant Type | Herbaceous, perennial |
Mature Size | 2–3 ft. tall, 1–2 ft. wide |
Sun Exposure | Full, partial |
Soil Type | Rich, moist |
Soil pH | Neutral, acidic |
Bloom Time | Summer, fall |
Flower Color | Pink, purple, white |
Hardiness Zones | 3–9 (USDA) |
Native Area | North America |
Turtlehead Plant Care
Here are the main care requirements for growing a turtlehead plant:
Plant in the spring or summer to give the plant time to establish itself.
Needs moist soil and filtered light, tolerating partially shady locations.
Prevent soil from drying out with a leaf mulch to keep soil cool and moist.
Keep soil slightly acidic or neutral between pH 6.0 and 7.0.
Fertilize once per year in the spring after its first year.
Light
As a woodland flower, turtlehead blooms best in full sun. Still, it tolerates partial shade—the setting is similar to its natural environment, where it typically grows in the filtered light beneath a canopy of trees.
However, the plant can grow in full sun if its soil is continually moist. Pink turtlehead (C. lyonii) is the species most tolerant of bright sun. When planted in a shady area, they may require staking to prevent them from flopping over, though this is rarely necessary in sunnier locations.
Soil
Turtlehead plants prefer moist, organically rich soil, with a neutral soil pH level between 6.0 and 7.0.
Water
Keep your turtlehead plants continually moist while they set root and throughout their growing and blooming season. As a general rule of thumb, turtlehead grows best when it gets regular water, and this is especially important during the first year as the plants establish themselves. The less water stress they suffer, the more they will thrive.
Temperature and Humidity
These plants prefer mild, moist conditions and will not do well in hot, arid climates. In warm climates, shade the plants and mulch the ground with a thick leaf mulch or another organic material.
Fertilizer
Don't feed your turtlehead plants during their first year of growth. After that, a yearly spring feeding with a balanced liquid fertilizer is recommended to encourage blooms. For the amount to use, follow the product label instructions.
Types of Turtlehead Plants
Turtleheads are related to mint plants. There are many turtlehead species, hybrids, and cultivars. The different turtlehead species share similar growing conditions but vary in size and appearance, bloom color and time, and native range. Their native range is vast, spanning from Minnesota to Florida.
Some of the more well-known ones include:
Chelone obliqua 'Alba': White-flowered cultivar that blooms in late summer.
Chelone obliqua 'Tiny Tortuga': A dwarf cultivar with pink-rose blooms in late summer to early fall.
Chelone glabra (white turtlehead or balmony): While not as showy as some turtleheads, white turtlehead produces ivory blooms and a great garden accent. It blooms in late summer through early fall.
Chelone glabra 'Black Ace': A cultivar named after its almost black foliage in the spring. It blooms in late summer.
Chelone Iyonii (pink turtlehead): This variety has long stems that give the species an open, bushy appearance. Its flowers range from light pink to deep rose to red, and it's more tolerant of dry conditions than the other turtleheads. Bloom time is in the late summer.
Chelone Iyonii 'Hot Lips': Pink flowers in late summer and fall.
Pruning Turtlehead Plants
If your plants start to get floppy, prune or pinch back the stems of established plants in mid-spring. This will cause the plant to become more compact but fuller and showier.
Propagating Turtlehead Plants
Turtlehead is easily propagated by division. In cooler climates, the best time to divide is early spring, when its shoots stand at least one inch high. In warmer zones, you will have the best luck dividing in early fall.
Lift the clump with a shovel. Separate it into smaller clumps with at least three established shoots in each section.
For each section, dig a hole in the depth of the clump and place the clump in it. Backfill the hole with soil and gently press down the areas around the plant.
Water it well and keep the soil moist until the new plant is established. Do not feed your divisions until their second year.
How to Grow Turtlehead Plants From Seed
Although often planted from potted nursery plants, turtlehead is relatively easy to grow from seeds. Some species, such as Chelone glabra, require cold stratification to germinate. The seed package should indicate whether cold stratification is required and for how long. The best time to seed red turtlehead, indoors or out, is in the spring.
Gardeners in cold climates can start seeds indoors on a sunny windowsill, then transplant them into the ground as seedlings well after the last frost.
Sow seeds indoors using trays or cell packs filled with moist, sterile potting soil. Gently press the seeds into the soil and keep them constantly wet. The seeds need light to germinate. Germination will occur in three to five weeks.
Long after the final frost, and when seedlings are at least six inches high, prepare your outside bed by working compost into the soil with a rake. If soil is compacted, add peat moss for aeration before transplanting the seedlings into the garden.
Harden off seedlings for a week before planting outside.
Common Pests and Diseases
Turtlehead is rarely bothered by insects or diseases but can develop powdery mildew due to environmental moisture fluctuations. Keeping the plants evenly moist and watering them at the base of the plant (versus on the foliage) should alleviate this problem.
How to Get Turtlehead Plants to Bloom
Bloom Months
Turtleheads typically begin to bloom in August, usually blooming for three to six weeks. Some can remain in bloom from September to November, making it well worth the wait for late-season color.
Since turtlehead blooms late in the season, there is no reason to deadhead spent flowers. You can leave the flowers to dry and collect the seeds or leave the plant to self-seed for the next growing season. The seeds appear in pea-shaped pods.
What Do Turtlehead Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The flower resembles a turtle's head, with petals that separate to look like a turtle's beak opening. The nectar of turtlehead flowers attracts bees, and the plant is the host plant for the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly. Although pollinators favor this plant, deer, and rabbits tend to leave it alone. Turtlehead flowers have no discernible scent.
How to Encourage More Blooms?
Once your turtlehead plant has established itself, pinch the tips of each shoot to train the plant to grow bushy and produce showy blooms.
Common Problems With Turtlehead Plants
Turtlehead plants are relatively easy to care for, provided they have ample water and some dappled shade. They will not thrive in high heat, full beating sun, or alkaline or dry, poor soil.
Floppy Plants
If turtlehead stems are floppy or falling over, your plant likely needs more sun. You can provide more light or support the plant with stakes to keep them upright.
Crispy Leaves
Turtlehead plants prefer partial sun and filtered light from the protection of the tree canopy, so when the plant is in full sun, it can be prone to leaf scorch or drying out the leaves. Prevent leaf scorch by giving the plant more water during hotter, drier, and sunnier days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do turtlehead plants spread?
Turtlehead plants spread by rhizomes underground, slowly forming clumps of plants.
Are turtleheads invasive?
Turtleheads are native to North America and are not invasive. In fact, they are important host plants for Baltimore checkerspot butterflies, whose larvae feed on the leaves. Turtleheads also attract bees and hummingbirds, making them an excellent plant for a pollinator garden.
Is turtlehead plant toxic to dogs?
Turtlehead plants are not toxic to dogs, other animals, or humans.
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