Red Turtlehead
Chelone obliqua
Emőke Dénes
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Genus:
- Chelone
- Species:
- Chelone obliqua
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 6-8 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jul, aug, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- Pink, Purple
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, moist, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Prefers habitats like wetlands and stream banks
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o