September Perennial of the Month-Pink turtlehead

I love plants that shine in late summer or autumn! After the trials of a typical St. Louis Summer, most plants show some wear and tear, so it’s refreshing to see a beautiful late-blooming plant like the Missouri native, Chelone obliqua, and our near-native (Southeastern US), Chelone lyonii, the pink turtleheads.

Chelone lyonii is native to wet woodland areas and streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The Missouri native Chelone obliqua is also found in damp areas near streams or on floodplains. Both are clump-forming, rhizomatous perennials that grow 2-4′ tall on square stems with rose-pink flowers. There is also a white species, Chelone glaba, native to Missouri.

Chelone is great for rain gardens or near water features in bog conditions, but it also does fine mixed with other perennials in borders without wet feet. It tolerates full sun, but prefers part-shade and rich, organic soil.

The common name comes from the turtlehead shape of the individual flowers that are similar to snapdragons in that you can squeeze the sides together to make them ‘snap’—a charming way to get kids interested in plants. 

What I love about this plant–

-Late season flowers.

-Forms a nice, uniform mass.

-Tolerates part to full-shade and moist areas.

-Deer resistant.

-It’s a native, or near native depending on species.

-Good pollinator plant for rain gardens.

What’s not so great–

-Rhizomatous perennials need dividing sooner than other perennials as the clumps/masses continue to spread underground. If you try to move a clump, there will always be some that spring up afterward. I would not consider it a ‘garden thug,’ but the future spread is something to keep in mind.

-Pinching the stems in spring can shorten the height and prevent flopping, especially in shadier areas. Staking isn’t normally required in sunnier areas.

Words and photos by Jo Batzer

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