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white turtlehead

Chelone glabra

Chelone glabra

White Turtlehead is native to moist prairies, streambanks, and woodlands throughout most of eastern North America. The white penstemon-like flowers are a delight to pollinators when they rise above the dark green bushy foliage in late summer.

Easy to grow in the garden in humus-rich, medium to wet soil in full sun to partial shade. Slowly spreads by rhizome.

Host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly, whose larvae feed on the leaves.

Zones: 3 to 8
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Type: Perennial
Height: 24 to 36 in.
Spread: 18 to 30 in.
Exposure: part-shade
Soil Conditions: moist
Bloom Time: May to June
Bloom Color: White To Light Pink
Native Range: midwest and eastern United States

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  • Special Characteristics:

  • Image Credits:

    Image 1 (bloom) R. A. Nonenmacher, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
    Image 2 (pollinator) U.S. Department of AgricultureLance Cheung/Multimedia PhotoJournalist/USDA/Lance Cheung, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
    Image 3 (form) Michael Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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