Chelone glabra L.

White Turtlehead; Snakehead

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

White Turtlehead is a native herbaceous perennial in the Plantain family (Plantaginaceae). It is native primarily to the northern half of Alabama, but also occurs in the Red Hills region of the Coastal Plain. White Turtlehead grows along streams and spring runs, in seeps, on floodplains, and in marshes. It is a perennial from a taproot. Each crown produces 1-4 stems that are 2-3 feet in height. The stems are green in color, glabrous, and 4-angled. The stems are often unbranched unless damaged. Leaves are opposite, short petioled or sessile, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, with serrate margins. The leaves are glabrous or pubescent along the veins. Flowers are produced in terminal and sometimes axillary racemes. The flowers are closely arranged and subtended by large bracts. The corolla is bilabiate and white in color. The mouth of the corolla is flattened and mostly closed. The interior of the corolla is pubescent. The fruit is a capsule with flat, winged seed. White Turtlehead is available from some wildflower nurseries. It prefers a consistently wet soil in partial shade. Plants can also be grown from cuttings or by layering.—A. Diamond

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Native

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