Pink Turtlehead

Pink Turtlehead

Common name:  Pink turtlehead, mountain purple turtlehead, or red turtlehead

Scientific name:  Chelone obliqua

Family:  Plantain, Plantaginaceae

Bloom period:  July until almost the first frost

What to look for:  Rosey-purple, tubular 2-lipped blooms, with a small yellow beard inside each lower lip.  The flowers have no floral scent.

Where to see it:  Scattered throughout the building 1 and 2 gardens.

Benefit to pollinators:  Turtlehead attracts bees and hummingbirds.

More info:  This native North American plant has become a rare wildflower and is threatened and endangered in some states.  The flower is said to resemble a turtle’s head.  In Greek, chelone means "tortoise" and was the name of a nymph who refused to attend the wedding of Zeus and was turned into a turtle as punishment.

More info:  L. spicata was historically used medicinally by Native Americans for its diuretic, stimulant, analgesic, and expectorant properties.  They also used the plant to treat swelling, abdominal pain, weak heart, and snake bites.  Currently, the plant is used for a sore throat by gargling an infusion and as an herbal insect repellent.