Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Plantaginaceae

Genus:

Chelone

Species:

Chelone obliqua

USDA Symbol:

CHOB3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

120 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

pink, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★☆☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bumblebees, hummingbirds, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

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

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and do not cover. Cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI