- Full Shade (Less Than 2 Hours of Direct Sunlight)
- Mature Height 24 - 48 Inches
- Mature Spread 24 - 48 Inches
- Growing Zones 3 - 8
Unique flowers that appear later in summer than many other perennials make the Hot Lips turtlehead a real eye-catcher in the landscape. The rosy-pink blooms are snapdragon-like and resemble the heads of open mouthed turtles. They appear on big, tight spikes that emerge above the foliage. The Hot Lips is well-suited to fill in parts of the landscape where drainage is an issue and other plants often suffer.
A native to the eastern United States, turtleheads often grow along wetland borders and in moist woods, testifying to its preference for shade and moisture. This plant pairs well with dwarf shrubs. It also lends a unique flair to cut flower arrangements. Use it as a groundcover in very wet areas, woodland plantings, and along stream banks.
Hot Lips Turtlehead Care
This plant can grow in shaded or sunny sites. If grown in a sunnier site, plan to mulch around the plant with an organic material to conserve moisture. In shade, it can get leggy if not pruned in spring. Once established, the turtlehead can tolerate some drought but absolutely prefers moist to wet soil, so plan to water it weekly if it is growing outside of a naturally-moist area.
Turtleheads can be late to emerge in the spring. Once they do, you can prune or pinch them to encourage a bushier habit and keep them shorter. To avoid unwanted self-sowing, cut the entire plant to the ground during fall landscape cleanup.
Hot Lips Turtlehead Spacing
The Hot Lips turtlehead grows quickly to reach a height of two to three feet with a maximum spread of about two and a half feet. Space multiple plants one to two feet apart and use an irregular group to create a natural-looking mass planting.
Hot Lips Turtlehead Information
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 - 8 |
Plant Type: Perennials |
Light Exposure: Full Shade (Less Than 2 Hours of Direct Sunlight) |
Mature Height: 24 - 48 Inches |
Mature Spread: 24 - 30 Inches |
Spacing: 24 - 30 Inches |
Habit: Upright |
Flower Color(s): Pink |
Flower Description: |
Bloom Period: Late Summer |
Foliage Type: Herbaceous |
Foliage Color(s): Green |
Foliage Description: |
Seasonal Interest: Summer Flowering |
Watering: Average |
Resists: Deer |
Tolerates: Drought |
Attracts: Bees, Birds, Butterflies |
Container Role: |
Uses: Borders, Containers, Groundcovers, Mass Planting, Wildlife Gardens |
Features: Attracts Pollinators, Cut Flowers, Low Maintenance, Native to North America |
Brand: |
Common Name: Hot Lips Turtlehead |
Other Name(s): |
Scientific Name: CHELONE LYONII `HOT LIPS` |
- SKU:
- 1001834-pc
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
For more detailed information, please click here.
Plant Addict Guarantee (Included On All Plant Orders)
Plant Addicts Warranty - 1 Year (Extra Purchase Required)

Guide: How to Care for Your New Plant(s)

Planter Shipping
Standard Colors: 2-3 business days
Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice
Please Note: On special orders there can not be any cancellations
Plant Shipping
Time of Order:
Summer Shipping
- If there is extreme heat we’ll delay shipping.
- We’ll have to review what areas the plants are traveling through along with your location
Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an email with tracking information. Depending on the above criteria we’ll ship your plant(s) towards beginning of the following week from your order. We put together this helpful guide of what to do when you receive your plants in the mail.
It is important to know that all of our plants are clearly labeled for which growing zones the plant can survive in. The plants are thoroughly trialed and tested in every growing zone before we state the plant can grow in a zone. Again, our #1 priority is to ship the plants to you healthy and ready to thrive in your location. So we will do everything in our power to do so.