Chelone glabra (White Turtlehead)

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Detailed Information

Flower:

Flowers are in a densely packed spike at the top of the main stem and smaller spikes on stems arising from leaf axils in the upper part of the plant. Individual flowers are 1 to 1½ inches long, tubular with a 2-lobed hood-like upper lip and a 3-lobed lower lip; the middle lower lobe is hairy. Flower color is creamy white, sometimes tinged pink. Flowers bloom from the bottom of the spike up.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are up to 8 inches long and 1½ inches wide, hairless, tapering to a sharp point at the tip, and little or no leaf stem. Edges are sharply toothed. Attachment is opposite with a pair of leaves at right angles to the pair below it. The main stem is hairless and 4-sided.

Fruit:

Fruit is an oval capsule about ½ inch long containing flat brown seeds.

Notes:

The unusual flowers make this an easy plant to ID. Many references state that White Turtlehead only grows up to about 3 feet tall, but several plants at Battle Creek are easily 4 feet. The DNR also lists a pink-flowered species (C. obliqua) as native to Minnesota. Minnesota is on the far western edge of White Turtlehead's range.

More photos

• White Turtlehead plants

Photos taken at Battle Creek Regional Park, St Paul, MN, August-October 2009

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?