Purple Prairie Clover Dalea purpurea
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- D. purpurea var. purpurea
- Petalostemum purpureum
- Phonetic Spelling
- da-LAY-ee ah pur-PUR-ee-ah
- Description
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Purple prairie clover is a perennial wildflower native to the central US and Canada and grows 1-3 feet tall. Despite its name, it is not a true clover, but a legume with a long taproot and is a protein source for grazing herbivores, as well as a nectar source for many pollinators. It is native to the prairies of the midwest and has been used for land reclamation after strip mining and for preventing erosion and adding nitrogen to the soil. It is adapted to areas with periodic wildfires as this removes larger competing plants.
The individual flowers are tiny and born on a cone-shaped flower spike early to mid-summer. The leaves a small and narrow and the fruit is a legume. It is adaptable to various soil types except for wet ones and needs full to partial sun for best growth. Use this plant in a naturalized and drought-tolerant setting
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Dalea
- Species:
- purpurea
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The stems were used as brooms by the Pawnee people.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central USA
- Distribution:
- Eastern British Columbia south to Alabama and Arizona, widespread in areas with prairies and/or dry hills
- Wildlife Value:
- Source of protein for mammalian herbivores, pollinator nectar source, food plant to larvae of the Dogface Sulphur (Colias cesonia) and Reakirt's Blue (Hemiargus isola) butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Edibility:
- The leaves are used for making tea and medicines, and the roots are palatable when chewed.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is a legume with 1-2 yellowish-green to brown seeds
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Dense cone-shaped spikes are 1-2 inches long and sport tiny purple flowers in early to mid-summer. Begins opening from the bottom of the spike and ascends upward throughout the season. Individual flowers are ΒΌ" across, with 5 purple petals and 5 protruding goldish-orange anthers.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Compound leaves have 3-5 narrow linear leaflets that are .5 to 1.5 inches long and 1/8 inch wide.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Wiry slightly ridged green stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Erosion
- Wind
