Chelone speciosa
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Chelone obliqua subsp. speciosa
- Chelone obliqua var. speciosa
- Phonetic Spelling
- kay-LOH-nee spee-see-OH-suh
- Description
-
Shellflower is a herbaceous perennial in the plantain family (Plantaginaceae) found in the wet, rich soils of streambanks and swamp forests of the central U.S.A. The genus name comes from the Greek word chelone, meaning tortoise in reference to the turtlehead shape of the flowers. It was recently moved from being a variation to a species.
The plant grows 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide in partial shade to dappled sun. It prefers hummus-rich, moist to wet, acid soils but is adaptable to any fertile, moist garden soil in sunny to shady locations. Propagation is by seed, cuttings or division.
The pinkish flowers resemble snapdragons and appear in late summer to fall. They are two-lipped with the upper lip hood-like and the lower lip with three lobes and a patch of white or yellow hairs inside.
Use Shellflower in the water garden, pollinator garden and around ponds, streams, bogs and wet meadows.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Chelone
- Species:
- speciosa
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract bees and hummingbirds.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- 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)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/2 inch long oval seed capsule spits to release seeds.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1-1.5 inch pink to lavender 2-lipped blooms on spike-like clusters. The upper lip has the shape of a broad hood, while the lower lip has 3 outer lobes. There is a patch of white or pale yellow hairs behind the lower lip. Blooms late summer to early fall.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 6-7 inches long by 2-2.5 inches wide lance-shaped green leaves with toothed margins. Undersurface is paler green.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Smooth light green stems, usually unbranched unless broken.
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Pond
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Water Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Hummingbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Wet Soil
