Red Turtlehead

Appearance

''Chelone obliqua'' is an herbaceous perennial plant, that grows to a height of 2 to 3 feet and can spread out in 1 to 2 feet. It is quite unique from other herbaceous perennials due to the fact that it blooms at a later time .The flowers are tubular 2-lipped blooms, with a small yellow beard inside each lower lip. Dispersal of seeds occur in the early spring, then divide in mid-spring and produce root soft-tip cuttings in the early summer. Optimal bloom period is within the months of July and August. It is best grown in most to wet, rich, humusy soils in full sun to partly shaded regions. With an immense amount of sunlight during the summer time, it's wet and moist, or clay soil is essential for growth. It can also grow in any pH conditions . Hence, mainly grown in moist woods, swampy areas and along streams.

The central stem is light green, smooth and hairless, and cylindrical; there are pairs of opposite leaves along the sides that tend to droop. Its leaf blades are lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, hairless, and serrated along their margins. The upper blade exhibits a dark green surface, while the lower blade surface is a paler green. A petiole is arising from the base of each leaf blade. There is no floral scent and are cross pollinated by bees and attracted to butterflies. An ovoid seed capsules evolves subsequent to the corollas of the flowers turning brown and falling off. The seeds capsules are initially light green and uncovered , and later turns brown and splits open to release the seeds. It has a rhizome root system, with occasional vegetative colony growth. Some problems that may arise would be these turtleheads have a disposition to powdery mildew, rust, fungal leaf spots, and damage from slugs and snails.

Naming

''Chelone obliqua'' is commonly known as “red, pink, or rose turtlehead". The varies names come from the array of bloom colors, yet may even appear in other colors such as purple, or white.
Also, when blooming, the flower is said to resemble the head of a turtle.

Distribution

''C. obliqua'' is native to the state of Illinois, but are present in other states such as Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. It is found as tetraploid in the Blue Ridge Mountains, or hexaploid in areas such as: Tennessee to Arkansas and Michigan, or the Atlantic coastal plain from South Carolina to Maryland. In fact has arisen several times from diploid ancestors of the other three species of the genus ''Chelone'' .

Since, this plant is a rare wildflower, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, this plant has been threatened and endangered in some states. The rose turtlehead is endangered in the state of Arkansas and is a special concern in Kentucky. The red turtlehead is endangered in Kentucky and threatened in Maryland. Lastly, the purple turtlehead is endangered in Michigan.