Chelone, or Turtlehead, is a fall-blooming perennial that gets its common name from one of two sources. First, the genus is named after a nymph named Chelone who, according to Greek mythology, the gods turned into a turtle because of her refusal to attend the wedding of Zeus and Hera. (Such a snob, that Chelone.) The more modern explanation involves the flower’s similar appearance to a turtle with an open mouth. The blooms have a faint resemblance to snapdragon flowers and can be mistaken, from a distance, for Obedient Plant (Physostegia). My research revealed several possible pronunciations for the genus, from equally respected sources. Take your pick: either kay-LOW-nee, key-LOW-nay, or chee-LOW-nee.
There are six species within the genus. All are native to North America. Chelone lyonii (lie-Oh-nee-eye) is the one widely available in nurseries and at native plant sales. It has a lovely pinkish lavender bloom. Chelone glabra has white flowers. Chelone obliqua has pink-to-red flowers with a yellow or white beard. All three species are cold-hardy in zones 3-8.
Turtlehead flowers in late summer to fall. It demands damp to wet soil. While it may be grown in full sun in the cooler zones, it is happiest with partial shade here in the warm southeast. Too much shade, though, will make it floppy and necessitate staking. Turtlehead will reach heights of three feet or even taller. Pruning early in the growing season will cause branching, result in shorter stems, and reduce the need for staking. Plants spread slowly by rhizomes and can be propagated by division. Spent blooms produce small pea-like seed pods that can be gathered for the generation of new plants. Seeds must have light to germinate, sometimes need cold stratification to break dormancy, and may take several months to germinate. Some plants seem to reseed independently, while their neighbors remain childless. The plants are not invasive. They look great when grown in mass plantings. Keep their water requirements in mind when selecting a location.
Turtlehead flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Deer normally pass them by. (I hesitated to write that sentence, because this morning we had three deer evaluating my specimens like a printed restaurant menu.) Plants are rarely bothered by diseases, but will get crispy edges to their leaves without sufficient water. Blooms stems make long-lasting cut flowers, but the spent petals should be removed to keep them attractive.
