Consider-the-Lilies Web Gallery
Turtle Head
I found this beauty nestled in marshy undergrowth at the edge of a little stream in rural Augusta County, Virginia.
This damp, shady environment is ideal habitat for this native wildflower, a perennial that flourishes in marshes and wet floodplains. (Also found in the same area: Woody Nightshade and Great Blue Lobelia .)
Unfortunately, when I discovered this Turtle Head colony, it was late in its short blooming period.
Now that I know where this lily lives I plan to visit this spot earlier next season to see more of this shade-loving beauty.
Looking at it from this low angle, I can see why this wildflower was given this common name—and its botanical name, as well. (Chelone = turtle and glabra = smooth, without hair, by Linnaeus in the 18th century.)
It does resemble—to me at least—what we would see if we looked face-to-face with a turtle!
Found as far west as the Mississippi River in the United States, in some locales it has also been dubbed with the common names, Shellflower and Snakehead.
Do you see any of these?
Chelone glabra is a member of the large Figwort (Scrophulariaceae) family, which also includes the cultivated garden flowers, Foxglove and Snapdragon.
Other members of this family to be seen in the Gallery include Allegheny Monkey Flower, Butter-and-eggs (right), and Speedwell.
Go to the Main Directory to consider more lilies of the field.