Years ago in the rain garden area of my prairie, I had native White Turtlehead (Chelone gabra) and Pink Turtlehead (Chelone oblique).* Over the years, as they’ve expanded their locations and moved closer to one another, the White Turtlehead seems to be changing. It has adopted a distinct white and pink variegated look. Even its leaves are changing.
Turtlehead (Chelone spp)
Turtlehead likes moist soil and partial or dappled sunlight, so it is perfect for rain gardens. It can also be grown successfully in shade gardens.
The leaves are opposite on the stem and droop slightly. They are typically rather long (about 6 inches). They are hairless and have a dark green upper surface color and a pale green lower surface. Each upright stem terminates in a spike of compact clusters of snapdragon-type flowers which are tubular in shape and have two-lipped petals, which give the blooms the appearance of a turtle’s head with an open mouth. Hence its common name. Each flower has a sparse pale yellow beard inside the lower lip.
Here in the Midwest, typically native turtlehead can be found in white and pink. Some of the white variety can have pink tinges. In the more Southern states, a red variety can be found. But here in yours truly’s yard, the White Turtlehead seems to have more than pink tinges. I haven’t seen it as a pure white species for a number of years. See the contrast below.
*Although the White Turtlehead was known to me to be native, because it came from a plant rescue in a remnant prairie area, the heritage of the Pink Turtlehead is unknown. It was a gift from a friend before the time either of us understood what made up a true native.
Natural hybrid? I have only seen white growing in the true wild, which actually was a swamp saved by an wide railroad embankment from years ago.
Hi! Cindy — Thank goodness for the railroads years ago. Unintentionally, they’ve saved a lot of patches of remnant prairie.
That’s interesting since I’ve started to notice some pink tinges to a few of my C. glabra as well, although I still have white ones.
I wonder how that will affect their ability to serve as a host plant for the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly, which I think uses only C. glabra as a host plant. (https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/baltimore_checkerspot)
I assume there’s no way to prevent this since they’re growing fairly close together, but it would be a shame to lose another host plant variety.
How interesting, Janet. You’re right; most references list White Turtlehead as the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly’s host plant. I found only one reference on the Internet where it lists Chelone spp: The Great Lakes Entomologist. Through my research, I was pleased to find this little butterfly also hangs out in Wisconsin. I’ll have to watch my rain garden area more closely in the future for this brilliantly colored butterfly.
Donna,
It’s possible your white turtlehead crossed with the pink one. Maybe the pink one is more dominant. In my reference book it said the pink relative has been in the nursery trade a long time. I like the turtleheads, white or pink, for their display of color in the fall. It’s fun watching a bumblebee push itself into the flower.
Hi! Lucy — yes, I agree. The bumblebees have to use a different, more fun approach to get their work done with the turtleheads. Ditto the genetians.
Looks like cross-pollination may have caused a hybrid. I had a hybrid sunflower where my hairy (or downy) sunflower was near to the Maximilian sunflower. The result was a hairy stem that grew very tall (above the house!) and had the flower structure of a Maximilian sunflower. I removed it since hybrids aren’t as good for wildlife, but it was also an eyesore to the public (way too tall for the city). Isn’t Mother Nature interesting?
Hi! Toni — yes, I do agree wholeheartedly. Mother Nature is interesting!