Sunday, September 07, 2008

Fall Pink

Chelonopsis yagiharana (also called C. moschata) seems like a rather ponderous name for such a delicate little plant. It is sometimes called Japanese turtlehead, for it is native to eastern Asia and resembles our native Chelone (turtlehead), though to me its flower is more reminiscent of a tiny foxglove.
The foliage of this Chelonopsis is very neat but unassuming, forming a fairly tight but tangled clump; then in early fall it begins blooming, with numerous little bright mauve tubular flowers, and it blooms for weeks, often up until the first frost.
This plant should be much better known and more widely grown, and there are close to twenty other species listed in the genus which seem to be unavailable here.
Chelonopsis yagiharana is one of those plants that looks like it should be blooming in spring, with its delicate little pink flowers, but I am always happy to see it in September.
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// posted by IBOY @ 7:45 AM
Comments:
This is a very pretty flower. My Chelone is beautiful this fall. It's now 5 years old and very full. :-)
# posted by Blogger Shady Gardener : September 08, 2008
 
Oooh, that's really pretty. Love it.
# posted by Blogger Kylee Baumle : September 14, 2008
 
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