Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips' (Turtlehead)

Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips' is a showy ornamental cultivar of Chelone lyonii, also called pink turtlehead, noted for its vibrant pink blossoms from late summer until early fall, as well its lush, deep green foliage and red-tinted stems. Closely related to Chelone glabra, pink turtlehead is slightly more compact and grows to between two and four feet tall with a spread of up to about two and a half feet. 

Naturally found in wet or swampy areas, 'Hot Lips' prefers wet, loamy soils high in organic matter, which makes it an ideal choice for rain gardens, wetland plantings, or moist perennial borders, as well as any area from full shade to full sun where its high water requirements can be easily met. Although Chelone lyonii has high water requirements compared to other flowers of its general size, 'Hot Lips' is more tolerant of drier conditions than its relatives C. glabra and C. obliqua. As an added benefit to the garden, pink turtlehead's flowers are attractive to many pollinators including bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. As an ornamental cultivar noted for its blooms, 'Hot Lips' can be pinched back in the spring to produce bushier growth and more compact flowering.