pink-turtlehead-chelone-obliqua.jpg
pink-turtlehead-chelone-obliqua.jpg

Pink Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua)

$6.00

Pink Turtlehead is named for its pretty blossoms, which resemble a turtle head poking out from its shell. It is the host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot and 4 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (nwf.org), possibly including the threatened Saunders' Sallow Moth (mnfi.anr.msu.edu). Pink Turtlehead is also a nectar source for bumblebees and Ruby-Throated hummingbirds (illinoiswildflower.info). It is considered Endangered in Michigan, so while you may not be preserving the plant that was once here, you are creating habitat for species that may need it to survive (mnfi.anr.msu.edu). The foliage tends to be bitter and is thus usually avoided by mammalian herbivores.

Photo credit: Arend

Pink Turtlehead is named for its pretty blossoms, which resemble a turtle head poking out from its shell. It is the host plant for the Baltimore Checkerspot and 4 other species of butterflies and moths in our area (nwf.org), possibly including the threatened Saunders' Sallow Moth (mnfi.anr.msu.edu). Pink Turtlehead is also a nectar source for bumblebees and Ruby-Throated hummingbirds (illinoiswildflower.info). It is considered Endangered in Michigan, so while you may not be preserving the plant that was once here, you are creating habitat for species that may need it to survive (mnfi.anr.msu.edu). The foliage tends to be bitter and is thus usually avoided by mammalian herbivores.

Photo credit: Arend

Life Cycle: Perennial

Sun Exposure: Partial or dappled sunlight

Soil Moisture: Wet – Medium

Height: 1-3 feet

Plant Spacing: 1-2 feet

Bloom Time: July-September

Bloom Color: Pink

Advantages: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer Resistant, Rain Garden, Great landscaping plant

Host Plant: Baltimore Checkerspot and 4 other species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (nwf.org)

Beneficial for Endangered or Threatened Species: Possibly Saunders' Sallow Moth (Sympistis saundersiana) (mnfi.anr.msu.edu)

Species of Concern: State Status: Endangered (legally protected). State Rank: Critically imperiled (mnfi.anr.msu.edu)