White Turtlehead

Chelone glabra, commonly called turtlehead, is a stiffly erect, clump-forming, leafy-stemmed, native perennial which typically grows 2-3' tall and occurs in moist woods, swampy areas and along streams. Hooded, snapdragon-like, two-lipped, white flowers with a tinge of pink appear in tight, spike-like terminal racemes from late summer into autumn. Flowers purportedly resemble turtle heads. Coarsely-toothed, lance-shaped, dark green leaves.

Genus name comes from the Greek word chelone meaning tortoise in reference to the turtlehead shape of the flowers.

Specific epithet means without hairs.