Turtlehead (Balmony, Snakehead)
Chelone lyonii. SCROPHULARIACEAE.
Planting and Growing Turtlehead
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow turtlehead in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of turtlehead
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for turtlehead
- Season of bloom and planting time for turtlehead
- When, how deep, and where to plant turtlehead
- How to plant turtlehead
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of turtlehead
- Landscape and container uses of turtlehead
- Comments about turtlehead and its features
Growing Turtlehead
Many cultivars and horticultural varieties of erect, narrow, deciduous, aquatic perennial herbs native to marshes and waterways, to 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall and 2 ft. (60 cm) wide.
They have opposite, textured, deep green, broadly oval, pointed, toothed leaves, 4–7 in. (10–18 cm) long.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Many pink, purple, rose, tubular, narrow, 2-lipped flowers, to 1 in. (25 mm) long, in spiking clusters, 6–8 in. (15–20 cm) long, on narrow, woody stems, in summer–autumn.
Best Climates
Hardy. Zones 3–9.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained humus. Fertility: Average–low. 6.0–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in full to filtered sun, 12–18 in. (30–45 cm) apart, or submerged to 2 in. (50 mm).
Proper Care
Easy–moderate. Keep evenly moist. Fertilize semi-monthly during growth. Mulch. Pinch to control, direct growth. Propagate by division, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for backgrounds, borders in bog, natural, shade, woodland gardens and shorelines. Pest and disease resistant.