Turtlehead 'Hot Lips'
Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips'
Deeper rose-pink blooms than the species on a more compact plant, August into October. Made for moist, shaded spots that stump other fall bloomers.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
The best native perennial for wet shaded spots. blooms in September when the shade garden desperately needs color.
'Hot Lips' Turtlehead lives up to its name: the deep rose-pink flowers are shaped like a turtle's open mouth, puffy-lipped and distinctive, and they bloom in late summer to fall when the shade garden needs color most. 'Hot Lips' is a selected cultivar with deeper, more saturated color than the straight species and slightly more compact growth. The flowers appear atop dark, glossy green stems from August into October. This is the premier native perennial for moist, shaded spots: rain garden margins, woodland edges, and wet areas under trees where most plants struggle. Bumblebees are the primary pollinator, and they work these flowers persistently. The glossy foliage stays clean and attractive all season. Plant it where late summer color is needed in conditions that are too wet or shaded for most other fall bloomers.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown turtlehead 'hot lips' propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Part sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 18–24 in wide
- Bloom time
- Late summer to fall
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Native range
- Southeastern United States; mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee (species)
Care notes for turtlehead 'hot lips'.
Plant in part shade to full shade in consistently moist to wet soil. This is one of the few perennials that thrives with wet feet. Tolerates standing water. Cut back in late fall or early spring. Divide every 3-4 years in spring. Does not tolerate dry soil. consistent moisture is essential.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside turtlehead 'hot lips'.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.