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Purple Prairie Clover

Dalea purpurea

Other common name(s):

Family:

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau, High Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie
Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Canadian/Cimarron High Plains
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Northern Blackland Prairie
Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
2
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Limestone

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Very Low, Low

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Purple

Bloom Season

Summer

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Forage, Nectar, Pollen, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Bees

Maintenance

This plant is not picky about soil characteristics, as long as the site is well-drained. Typical habitats of Purple Prairie Clover include black soils prairies, sand prairies, savannas, and limestone glades. Plant may self seed. Leave the plant up in the winter to provide cover and habitat for birds. Deer resistant. Propagation: Seed.

Comments

Blooms June-September. Purple prairie clover has a thimble-shaped flower arrangement which blooms from the bottom to the top. Foliage is ornamental even after blooms are gone. It has a deep taproot. This is one of the most widespread of the perennial Prairie Clovers. Attracts: bumblebees, cuckoo bees, and leafcutter bees visit the flowers for pollen and nectar. Other insects feed on the seeds, foliage, and other parts. Larval host: Southern Dogface Sulphur and Reakirt’s Blue.

References

1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=DAPU5, 2) https://www.xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/22-025_01_NPPBIMidwest_web.pdf, 3) https://www.prairiemoon.com/dalea-purpurea-purple-prairie-clover-prairie-moon-nursery.html, 4) https://growitbuildit.com/purple-prairie-dalea-purpurea/, 5) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=26642#null, 6) http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Dalea%20purpurea.png, 7) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=DAPU5. 8) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Dalea+purpurea&formsubmit=Search+Terms

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Contact a local Chapter

State Office Phone: 830.997.9272

State Office Address:
Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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