Is Turtle Head plant invasive?

Turtleheads are native to North America and as such, they are not invasive. In fact, they are important host plants for Baltimore checkerspot butterflies whose larvae feed on the leaves. Turtlehead also attracts bees and hummingbirds so it is an excellent plant for a pollinator garden.

Do Turtleheads spread?

Size & Growth. The turtlehead plant can attain a height of 2′ to 3′ feet tall and spread as wide as 3′ feet.

How do you grow pink Turtleheads?

Grow Chelone: Tolerates full sun in boggy soils, otherwise best in part sun to full shade. Needs rich, constantly moist soil. Pinching shoot tips in spring promotes development of shapely, heavy-flowering plants. Pink turtlehead thrives near banks of ponds and streams, frogs often found hiding in foliage.

Is pink turtlehead a perennial?

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Chelone lyonii is an upright perennial with red stems and shiny deep green leaves. In late summer and fall, stems are topped by lovely clusters of pink snapdragon like flowers.

Do you cut back turtle head in the fall?

Turtleheads grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. Trimming back the plants in fall removes the old seed pods and maintains the plant’s shape, which prevents self-seeding and improves the appearance of the sleeping winter garden.

Do turtleheads like sun or shade?

The flowers are irregular, two-lipped and grow in dense spikes. Growing requirements for turtleheads are moist to wet or mucky soils, a neutral soil pH, and light levels between full sun and partial shade.

Do hummingbirds like turtleheads?

Their late summer blooms provide plenty of delicious nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds, making them a favorite of nature lovers. Turtlehead plants divide easily and enjoy a deep layer of organic mulch. Turtleheads also do best in USDA planting zones 4 through 7.

Do you cut back Turtlehead in the fall?

How do you trim a turtle plant?

Trim back any overgrown stems or branches, cutting them back by up to 1/3 their length. Make the cuts within 1/4 inch of a leaf or leaf node to encourage fuller branching at the pruning site when growth resumes in spring.

When should you cut back plants for winter?

Q: When is the best time to cut back in the fall? A: “When they start to look too ratty for you and before the fresh new growth begins,” says Sarah. For plants that are frost-sensitive, wait until after the plants have gone through several hard frosts to ensure they’re dormant before cutting back.

Can you divide Turtlehead plant?

Along with thinning out plants, turtlehead can easily be divided, either to keep clumps in check, or to help with potential disease problems. The best time to divide turtleheads is in the spring, just as the new growth emerges.

What does a Turtlehead plant look like?

White flowers, often with a pink tinge, appear between mid summer and fall. The flowers are irregular, two-lipped and grow in dense spikes. Growing requirements for turtleheads are moist to wet or mucky soils, a neutral soil pH, and light levels between full sun and partial shade.