Turtlegrass
Thalassia testudinum
- Native to:
- Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Is., Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panamá, Puerto Rico, Southwest Caribbean, Trinidad-Tobago, Turks-Caicos Is., United States, Venezuelan Antilles, Virgin Islands, Windward Is.
gerardgiraud derivate author: Veronidae
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Hydrocharitaceae
- Genus:
- Thalassia
- Species:
- Thalassia testudinum
- USDA Symbol:
- THTE6
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 35 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- white, green
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- sea turtles, manatees, fish, invertebrates
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, nutrient-rich marine sediment
- pH:
- 7.0 - 8.5 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in shallow coastal waters
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Primarily reproduces vegetatively via rhizomes; seed germination rare and not well-documented in cultivation.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI