Best Virginia Native Plants for Eastern Box Turtles

4/24/2024

Adult , male Eastern Box Turtle from Ty's flowerbed in Buckingham Co. | © Ty Smith

Intro

I love Eastern Box Turtles, and I bet you do as well. Many people seem concerned for their numbers, and whether that concern is warranted or not, why wouldn't we want to protect species where we can. Also, many people tend to "make friends" with their neighborhood box turtles (not that the turtle necessarily thinks of you as a friend). So, here is a simple article on some good, native plants that your backyard Eastern Box Turtles will enjoy.

Habitat and Sheltering Species

There are a couple ways these turtles rely on plants, and shelter is important. Habitat fragmentation is one of the biggest risks for Eastern Box Turtles, as they instinctually roam the same paths every year looking for mates. They are a woodland species, and the fact that we often see them in fields and suburbs is somewhat concerning. Shade and leaf piles are crucial to the Eastern Box Turtle. Box Turtles often nestledown in fallen leaves when there is not enough humidity for them. Trees and other plants often host specific insect species, and several species (like caterpillars) make great box turtle snacks. These are some good, easy-to-find trees to plant for "forestafying" your yard, though almost all native trees are great.

Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) -- Fruits and leaves are edible for box turtles
White Oak (Quercus alba) -- Brings with it acorns for other species and is a host plant for over 530 species of Lepidopterans in Virginia
Red Maple (Acer rubrum) -- Very pretty in the fall and host dozens of Virginian species
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) -- Pretty spring flowers and berries for birds
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) -- Pretty spring flowers

Flowering Dogwood | © Ty Smith

Now, of course you want to manage your leaf piles. I really let leaves lie where they fall, but if you must, you can keep them on the fringes of your property. I also use leaves for mulch in my flowerbeds. Be conscious, as species like the Eastern Copperhead love leaf piles as well. Now, assuming you have your shade (with some sunny patches for basking), we can talk about true shelter. These are the smaller, bushier plants that these turtles can hide under.

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) -- Prolific!
Northern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)
Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum)
Other native ferns...
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Great Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum)
Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense)

Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Several other native shrubs and tall flowering forbs
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)
Hairawn Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris)

Swamp Rose Mallow | © Ty Smith

It is hard to file this down to a short list like this, as many plants that form meadows can grow tall enough to canopy, and remain open enough at the ground for box turtles to move through. While a single Goldenrod (Solidago sp.) offers little cover, a huge patch offers a lot to these animals. In essence, almost all native plants can offer shelter for Eastern Box Turtles, barring some tiny species. Many of the plants in the next section can also provide shelter as well as food. These on this list though are just "bushier" and offer amazing resting/hiding spots.

Edibles

Food is very important for every living thing. Some of these plants above draw some insects, but none really feed the box turtles directly. Here are some good food source plants for box turtles.

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) -- the Eastern Box Turtle is thought to be the primary seed distributor of this plant
Virginia Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) -- Box Turtles will eat leaves and flowers
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
Northern Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Black Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Native Bramble species (Rubus sp.)
Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina)

Notice, there are two native strawberries (with smaller fruits than Garden Strawberry), but don't confuse them with the nonnative Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica). Mock Strawberry is not actually toxic, as many people think, but they have no taste... Animals seem to avoid these flavorless fruits, and they yield no real nutritional value. You will also see my note on Mayapple. This plant is umbrella-shaped, and the blooms and fruit grows under the umbrella. This means, birds don't see the fruit as readily. It is likely that this plant coevolved with the Eastern Box Turtle; being the animal that primarily disperses its seeds.

Closing

Eastern Box Turtles are amazing animals, and often direct ambassadors from nature to us. They are threatened by habitat fragmentation, vehicles, habitat loss, dogs, climate change, and collection. In general, these creatures can live 120 years, and each turtle may only see one or two of their offspring survive to adulthood. The odds are stacked against them, but we can help by providing safe spaces for these animals that offer food, shelter, and water in a friendly habitat. Native plants provide ideal habitat for these animals, and we should respect that. Remember, everything is connected. Providing a healthy habitat for box turtles creates healthy habitats for other species crucial to all native cycles. These plants are just the tip of the iceberg, and hundreds of other native plants will do these animals and other species good. Don't overlook any native species, as all of the species in an area come together with geography and hydrology to form an ecosystem.