Pink Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii) is a native fall-blooming perennial that grows best in organically rich soil in the sun to part shade. In its natural habitat, pink turtlehead is found in wet wooded areas near streams in the Appalachian Mountains. It adapts easily to being planted in home perennial plantings as long as the soil stays moist, a perfect choice for a wet area in the landscape in USDA planting Zones 3 through 8. Due to South Carolina’s hot summer temperatures, plant it in an area that gives some shade protection from the afternoon sun.
Pink Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii) is a native fall-blooming perennial that grows best in moist, organically rich soil in the sun to part shade.
Photo courtesy of Frank D. Richards ©2021
The clustered pink flowers form at the terminal ends of the stem and begin to bloom in late summer and will continue throughout the fall. The two upper petals of each flower are joined to form a hood, similar to a snapdragon, with the three lower petals forming a lower lip. Using your imagination, you can see that the flower looks like a turtle head with an open mouth, thus giving its common name. In fact, the genus name Chelone is derived from Greek mythology when a nymph named Chelone was turned into a turtle after she arrogantly refused to attend Zeus’ and Hera’s wedding. The species name, lyonii, is in honor of American botanist John Lyon (1765-1814), an early explorer of the Appalachian Mountains.
The individual flowers look like a turtle head with an open mouth, thus the common name.
Barbara H. Smith, ©2023 HGIC, Clemson University
Growing 2 to 3 feet tall, pink turtlehead can be pinched back in the late spring or early summer to give the plants a more compact growth habit. When in light shade, it will be taller, but due to the strong stem structure, it usually doesn’t need staking. Mature brown seed pods will form after flowering. Some Chelone species will self-sow from seed, but all can easily be divided in the early spring into smaller clumps for transplanting or sharing with gardening friends.
There are a number of different species and cultivars available. Chelone glabra is a white flowering species that is also a native wildflower. Check your local nursery or garden center for plant availability.
There aren’t any major diseases or insect pests that affect pink turtlehead. Be sure to give it good air circulation, as powdery mildew can be problematic. It provides a late season nectar source for a wide variety of hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. It can sometimes be eaten by deer if they’re really hungry, but it is considered deer resistant.
As long as the moisture needs are met, pink turtlehead is a good choice to plant in rain gardens or near streams and ponds. It is a great addition to a flower border or planted in masses with other fall flowering perennials.
For more information on perennials for wet areas and rain gardens, see HGIC 1718, Plants for Damp or Wet Areas and The Dual Benefits of Rain Gardens.
