CHELONE (Chelo'ne)

DESCRIPTION: These perennials are found wild in North America from Tennessee to Florida and Mississippi. These plants are commonly called Turtle-flowers or Shellflowers. C. obliqua has erect growth, up to 3 feet high with a spread of 20 inches. The dark green, lance-shaped leaves are sharply serrated. Its lilac-pink flowers are hooded and produced in solid, erect spikes in late summer and fall. The botanical name ,Chelone, is taken from chelone, a tortoise, and refers to the shape of the flower, thus the common names.

POTTING: These plants will flourish in moist, fertile soil that is well-drained, in sun or partial shade. These plants are found naturally in swamps and damp woods so they prefer fairly moist soil.

PROPAGATION: Increase Shellflowers by soft tip cuttings taken in the summer, or seeds or division in the spring or fall. The cuttings should be made of 3-inch pieces of the young growths and inserted in a bed of sand in a frame that is kept closed for 3 or 4 weeks. When they've formed roots, plant them in equal parts of sandy loam and leaf mold and keep them in a cold frame during the winter.

VARIETIES: C. glabra; C. obliqua; C. Lyoni.

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