Pollinator plant

red turtlehead

Chelone obliqua

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Common names

14 names · 9 languages
EnglishYour language
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Shellflower[1]
  • Turtlehead[1]
Other languages (8)
Dutch
  • Rode schildpadbloem
  • Schildpadbloem[2][4]
Danish
  • almindelig duehoved[4]
Finnish
  • lilakonnanyrtti[4]
German
Norwegian
Russian
  • Хелоне косая[4]
Slovak
  • korytnačkovec šikmý[4]
Swedish
  • lila sköldpaddsört[4]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Chelone obliqua — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Red Turtlehead — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(3); heading: Common Name(s):; Chelone obliqua.
  • Pink Turtlehead — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Chelone obliqua.
  • Purple Turtlehead — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Chelone obliqua.
  • Shellflower — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(4); heading: Common Name(s):; Chelone obliqua.
  • Turtlehead — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(5); heading: Common Name(s):; Chelone obliqua.
[2] Chelone obliqua — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • red turtlehead — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • Schiefe Schildblume — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • Purple Turtlehead — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • Schildpadbloem — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
[3] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Chelone obliqua ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Red turtlehead (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 158668; taxon TVF2.
[4] Chelone obliqua — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • red turtlehead — results[11].names[1]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • Schiefe Schildblume — results[11].names[2]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • Purple Turtlehead — results[11].names[7]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • Schildpadbloem — results[11].names[4]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • duehode — results[11].names[3]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • Хелоне косая — results[11].names[5]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • lila sköldpaddsört — results[11].names[6]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • lilakonnanyrtti — results[11].names[8]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • almindelig duehoved — results[11].names[9]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
  • korytnačkovec šikmý — results[11].names[10]; taxon id 54402; Chelone obliqua.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Chelone obliqua is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Plantaginaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.61–0.91 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.3–0.61 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Clumping; Erect

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Medium

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Occasionally Wet

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Autumn; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: butterflies, hummingbirds, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Native range
SE. U.S.A.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Low suitability
Nectar value Unknown
Pollen value Low
Plant profile

About this plant

red turtlehead (Chelone obliqua) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from July to September.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Chelone obliqua — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 5194912; ID TVF2; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 5194912; ID TVF2; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Chelone obliqua — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Chelone obliqua — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 1345291; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1262801, 1262802, 1262803, 1262804, 1262805, 1262806, 1262807, 1262808, 1262809

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.