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White Turtlehead

Chelone glabra

Found in streambanks, seeps, swamp forests. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

33
Good

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
1–3 feet
Spread
1–2 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Usually moist

Space about 1.5 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 44 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
July to October
Fruiting season
September to November

Recorded in 15 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Swamps

The Chickahominy Swamp LCCN2004661405
William McIlvaine, The Chickahominy Swamp (1862): wind-tossed swamp trees standing in dark water under a storm. Shown: Chickahominy Swamp, Virginia, a neighboring state.The Chickahominy Swamp LCCN2004661405, William McIlvaine (1813-1867), 1862. Public domain. Source record.

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

Seeps and springs

Places where groundwater keeps the soil or rock wet, such as seepage slopes and spring runs.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 97 animals.

Widespread birds also seen here (38)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Care

  • Keep the soil from drying out.
Care sources
Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

4CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Chelone

  • Euphydryas phaetonBaltimore Checkerspot
  • Cepphis armatariaScallop Moth
  • Endothenia hebesanaVerbena Bud Moth
  • Papaipema nepheleptenaTurtlehead Borer
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
3BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Chelone

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Plantaginaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–8b
Soil pH
Neutral to alkaline
Flower color
Pink or white
Fruit begins
September
Fruit ends
November

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

White Turtle Head

Conservation status

West Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.

Sources