Intro: Erect perennial of cove forests, spruce-fir forests, balds and stream banks.

Stems: Stems simple or sparingly branched, smooth.

Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, 3-6 in. long, oval to lance-shaped, toothed.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers somewhat 4-ranked in dense terminal racemes and with leafy bracts mostly concealing individual flower stalks, dark pink to purple, 1-1 1/2 in. long, inflated-tubular, consisting of a broad arching upper lip, a lower lip with a yellow beard, 4 fertile stamens and a single sterile stamen with a white or pink tip.

Fruits: Fruit a broadly oval capsule.

Comments:

Height: 1-2 ft.

plant sale text: Pink turtlehead has attractive glossy green foliage spring through fall. In the fall, this southeastern native perennial produces charming pink flowers, each shaped like the head of a turtle! Butterflies love this plant. Native to rich coves and open stream banks of the southern Appalachians, pink turtlehead is easily grown in cultivation. Try planting this perennial with great blue lobelia for a pretty combination.

bloom table text: Growing to a height of four feet, pink turtleheads are found wild in mountain bogs, stream banks, and seepages. Throughout the growing season this perennial maintains attractive, glossy, dark-green foliage. In August through October, it produces unusually shaped pinkish-lavender flowers that are pollinated primarily by butterflies. . Due to the way in which the upper lip arches over the lower lip of the flower, it appears not to open fully. According to some, this structure resembles the head of a turtle (which is reflected in both the common and latin name). Although turtleheads are restricted in nature to the southern Appalachians, they are easily cultivated in rich, moist soils and are valued for their ability to bloom in late summer in the shade.

description: Erect perennial of cove forests, spruce-fir forests, balds and stream banks.

stems: Stems simple or sparingly branched, smooth.

leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, 3-6 in. long, oval to lance-shaped, toothed.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers somewhat 4-ranked in dense terminal racemes and with leafy bracts mostly concealing individual flower stalks, dark pink to purple, 1-1 1/2 in. long, inflated-tubular, consisting of a broad arching upper lip, a lower lip with a yellow beard, 4 fertile stamens and a single sterile stamen with a white or pink tip.

fruits: Fruit a broadly oval capsule.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code: 2

native range: NC, SC & TN