Chelone glabra
$19.99
Chelone glabra is an upright moisture-loving perennial with opposite serrated leaves and tight clusters of white, softly pink-tinged turtlehead flowers.
- Description
- Additional information
Description
Chelone glabra is a slowly spreading clump-forming perennial reaching about 60 to 90 cm high and 45 to 75 cm wide. Stiff leafy stems carry opposite pairs of dark green lance-shaped, sharply serrated leaves. From late summer into autumn, terminal spike-like racemes open white tubular two-lipped flowers, often softly tinged pink, followed by oval capsules containing flattened winged seeds.
Grow white turtlehead outdoors in rich humus-filled loam, clay, or chalky soil that remains moist and may occasionally become wet. Partial shade is ideal, although full sun is suitable where moisture never fails. Mulch with composted leaf mould, divide established clumps in spring, and cut dead stems after seasonal dieback. Pinching spring shoots can create shorter bushier plants. It suits cottage, informal, native, wildlife, pollinator, rain, bog, waterside, woodland, naturalistic, and moist-border gardens. It is not drought resistant and is not a houseplant.
Additional information
| Height | 2 ft – 3 ft |
|---|---|
| Spread | 1 ft – 2 ft |
| Flowering months | July, August, September, October |
| Synonyms | Chelone glabra subsp. linifolia, Chelone glabra var. linifolia, Chelone obliqua var. alba |
| Family | Plantaginaceae |
| Hazardous | no |
| Variegated | no |
| Color flower autumn | White, Pink |
| Color flower summer | White, Pink |
| Aspect | East, South, West, North |
| Habit | Clump-former |
| Moisture | Moist but Well Drained, Wet or Damp Soil |
| Ph | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Position | Full sun, Partial shade |
| Shape | Upright |
| Suggest planting location | Pollinator Garden, Woodland Garden, Flowering borders, Wildlife friendly gardens, Bog Garden, Rain Garden, Pond Margin, Streamside |
| Type | Perennial |
| Use for | Shade Garden, Pollinator-Friendly |
| Years to max height | 2 |
| Drought resistance | no |
| Soil | Chalk, Clay, Loam |
| Harvest in | 8, 9, 10 |
| Local names | White Turtlehead, Balmony, Turtlehead, Shell Flower |
| Blomidon Item No | ZCHEGL0001G |
| Propagation | Propagate by seed, divide established rhizomatous clumps in spring, or take permitted softwood stem-tip cuttings from healthy growth. |
| Pests | Generally pest-free, although slugs and snails may occasionally damage young shoots. |
| Diseases | Powdery mildew, rust, and fungal leaf spot may occur, particularly if soil dries or airflow is poor. |
| Pruning | Pinch stem tips in spring where a shorter bushier plant is wanted. Cut dead stems to the base after seasonal dieback or before new spring growth. |
| Watering instructions | Keep the root zone consistently moist throughout active growth. Water deeply before foliage wilts and never allow established clumps to dry repeatedly. |
| Sunlight instructions | Grow in partial shade, or in full sun only where soil remains reliably moist. Shelter plants from drying exposure and provide enough light to limit flopping. |