White Turtlehead
Chelone glabra
- Plant Type
- Perennial Herb (Deciduous)
- Landscape Layer
- Herbaceous
- Sun
- ☀️ Full Sun, ⛅ Part Sun, ☁️ Shade
- Moisture
- 💧 Regular, 💧💧 High, 💧💧💧 Wet
- Soil
- Clay, Loam, Sand, Silt, Organic / Peat, Calcareous
- Bloom
- July, August, September, October
- Sociability
- S3 – Small colonies
Pollinator Value
Ecology & Conservation
- Proximity Score
- 0
- Native Status
- ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
- Closest Direction
- Local
- CEC Eco-Regions
- 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
- Rarity Notes
- Globally secure (G5) with national ranks of N5 in both Canada and the US. Ranked S5 in both Ontario and Quebec. Not listed under SARA or COSEWIC. Locally uncommon in the Ottawa region and sparse on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River.
- Rarity Ranks
- QC S5 – Secure, ON S5 – Secure
- Migration
- Stable
- Ecological Context
- White turtlehead is an obligate wetland species found along stream banks, in marshes, fens, sedge meadows, and swampy openings in floodplain forests. It thrives in circumneutral to slightly alkaline groundwater conditions and is an indicator species of fens. In the Outaouais, it occurs in moist depressions with Carex species and along lakeshores. Uncommon in both the Ottawa and Quebec-side floras.
Permaculture & Companion Planting
- Roles
- Fortress/Barrier, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [MEDIUM]: S68 12 bee associations (threshold=3)]
- Notes
- White turtlehead pairs well with other wetland margin species in rain gardens and shoreline plantings. OWSL lists bottle gentian, water avens, blue flag iris, and hanging bulrush as complementary plants sharing similar moisture requirements. Tolerates juglone, making it suitable near black walnut.
Medicinal Properties ℹ
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.
Click here for more info →
ℹ
Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any plant for medicinal purposes. The information provided is compiled from secondary sources for educational purposes only.
Click here for more info →- Category
- Antibilious, Aperient, Appetizer, Cathartic, Cholagogue, Detergent, Tonic, Vermifuge, Laxative, Febrifuge, Dermatological Aid, Contraceptive, Liver Aid
- Notes
- Extensively used in Indigenous medicine. Algonquin Quebec peoples made infusions of roots with cedar bark as medicinal tea. Cherokee used bloom infusions for worms, fevers, and as a laxative. Iroquois used root decoctions for liver complaints. Malecite and Micmac used it as a contraceptive. Approved herbal name under Health Canada NHPID. PFAF medicinal rating 3/5.
Edibility & Foraging ℹ
Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.
Click here for more info →
ℹ
Never ingest a plant unless you have 100% certainty of its identity and have consulted multiple reputable sources. The information provided in the Localeaf Plant Database is compiled from secondary sources for educational and historical purposes only.
Click here for more info →✅ Edible
- Foraging Notes
- Cherokee peoples boiled and fried young shoots and leaves as a potherb. PFAF rates edibility 0/5. The plant is very bitter and not commonly consumed.
- Toxicity
-
△ Low Toxicity
Not listed in Cornell poisonous plants database. OWSL notes it as toxic if ingested, causing mild GI upset, likely referring to the very bitter taste and cathartic/laxative properties of the herb. No serious toxicity reported. PFAF lists no known hazards.
Seed Source
- Localeaf / Akene
- OWSL