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"Turtlehead, Balmony, Bitter Herb, Codhead, Fish Mouth, Shellflower, Snakehead, Snake Mouth, Turtlebloom"

Scrophulariaceae Family - Chelone from the Greek for tortoise and glabra from the Latin word meaning smooth, referring to lack of hairs or texture on the stems and leaves.

White Turtlehead is found throughout the Tallgrass region along streams, in fens and in seeps. It also will establish itself in woodland bottomlands. Turtlehead blooms from August through September and grows from a creeping perennial rootstock to a height of three feet under ideal conditions.

Even though it has a very bitter taste, Turtlehead providided Native Americans a favorite tonic and laxative. Early settlers used the leaves to make a tonic to aid in curing jaundice, constipation and internal parasites. The leaves were also made into a salve to relieve itching and inflammation.

Many hybridized varieties of Chelone are available through commercial nurseries as ornamental garden plants.