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Home  /  Plants  /  Budburst Species  /  Dalea purpurea

COMMON NAME

Purple prairie clover

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Dalea purpurea

Plant family

Pea (Fabaceae)

Plant group

Wildflowers and Herbs

A perennial herb that grows up to 2' tall, topped with thimble-like bright purple flower clusters.
112 reports
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OBSERVERS
112+
OBSERVATIONS
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Identification hints

Typically grows in clumps, with multiple unbranched stems arising from the base.
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Did you know?

Purple prairie clover can have a taproot up to 6.5' deep. It is a popular plant for pollinators, especially native bees.
DISTRIBUTION IN TH U.S.
Alabama , Arkansas , Arizona , Colorado , Georgia , Iowa , Illinois , Indiana , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Mississippi , Montana , North Dakota , Nebraska , New Mexico , New York , Ohio , Oklahoma , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Wisconsin , Wyoming
HABITAT
Grows in dry prairies.
ATTRIBUTES
Leaves
Alternate leaves are small and narrow, 1.5-3" long, divided into 3 to 7 leaflets 1" long.
Flowers
Each slender stem is topped by a 0.5-2.5" long cylindrical spike of small, bright purple 5-petaled flowers with prominent orange anthers. Flowers bloom progressively up the cylindrical spike.
Fruits
The fruit is a dry, one seeded legume (pod) that remains in the dried calyx.
Bloom Time
Blooms July through September

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