Chelone glabra

Chelone glabra: Wet Feet, White Hoods, Checkerspot Snacks

White Turtlehead is the native that does a bit of everything. It thrives in wet soil, feeds the bumblebees and is literally a nursery for Baltimore checkerspot caterpillars. THE MULTITASKER OF THE MARSH.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Chelone glabra
• Common Name: White Turtlehead
• Height: 60–120 cm (2–4 ft)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: White, sometimes tinged pink, hooded, snapdragon-like blooms in dense clusters at the stem tips
• Bloom Time: Late summer to early fall (August to September)
• Foliage: Dark green, lance-shaped, toothed leaves in opposite pairs
• Features: Thrives in wet soil, hosts Baltimore checkerspot caterpillars

Where to Plant: This is a natural for rain gardens, pond and stream edges, ditches and any low spot where water collects, and it handles heavy clay and seasonal flooding. Plant it in groups in a naturalized planting, or toward the back of a moist border for late-season white.

Companion Plants: Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' adds tall, upright grass behind the turtlehead, reaching 120 to 180 cm in flower. Anemone Fall in Love® 'Sweetly' blooms pink from August to October, right alongside the white turtlehead flowers. Monarda Sugar Buzz® 'Rockin' Raspberry' brings purple blooms in July and August at the front. All three grow well in sun to part sun.

Plant Care: Plant in moist to wet soil rich in organic matter. It grows in full sun as long as the soil stays wet, and in part shade it copes with soil that is merely moist. Don't let it dry out, particularly in the first year. Mulch helps. Pinch the tips in late spring if you'd like a shorter, fuller plant. Leave the flowers alone after bloom if you want seed for the birds. Cut back in late fall or early spring. The clump spreads slowly by rhizomes and can be divided in spring.

History: Chelone glabra grows wild across eastern North America, from Newfoundland to Minnesota and south to Georgia, including Ontario and Quebec, and glabra means smooth, for the hairless leaves. It's the main food plant for caterpillars of the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly.

Final Thoughts: Plant it by the pond or a soggy ditch and you've just opened a butterfly daycare. NO WAITLIST.